Daughter of the Phoenix
by Whispering Maiden
Summary: The daughter of Jean is taken as a baby.It is years later,after being raised by the Brotherhood that she learns of her origins. But after so many years of being a "bad guy",can she find a new life with the X-men, with the father she didnt know she had?
1. Chapter 1

_* The X-men and their world belongs to Marvel._

_Okay, so the story starts out a little slow, but trust me, it will pick up real soon!_

_Please review!_

"Scott, this is silly. It's the middle of winter! What could be so important that you had to drag me up to the roof and not even let my get my coat? Do you want me and your unborn child to freeze?" Jean Summers asked her husband as her led her blindfolded up the stairs to the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. "And this blind fold is stupid. If I wanted to see I could just connect our minds and look through your eyes."

Scott Summers bent slightly to kiss his wife's head of long red hair. "Don't you dare. I went to all this trouble to be romantic and it would be such a pity for you to ruin it."

"Oh, so all it took for you to be romantic was to get me pregnant?" Jean quipped, rolling her eyes before remembering she was blindfolded.

Scott didn't answer, just smiled to himself. He knew how lucky he was to have this amazing woman in his life. Everything about her made him want to jump around like some lunatic, singing. She was beautiful; with her emerald green eye, long wavy red hair, porcelain perfect skin, and angel carved face. But she was more than just physically beautiful. She had the heart of a saint, a laugh like tiny bells, and the mind of a genius. Oh and her smile! He could still remember when they were kids, when they first met at the Institute. She was this brilliant beauty and he was an awkward tall gangly kid; but she didn't care. She was nice to him and offered him friendship, which soon became love. He thanked God every day for her being in his life, and twice ever since they found out she was pregnant. He hoped for a little girl, just like her amazing mother.

"Your quietness is unnerving me." Jean joked. "Do I have to poke around your mind to find out what this is all about?"

"We're almost there, be patient." He whispered in his loves ear, making her squirm with pleasure. He knew that his wife could easily find out his surprise, with her being one of the world's most powerful telepaths. He was surprised that their telepathic link, made when they were teenagers, hadn't already given it away.

"Okay, we're here." Jean felt her husband's pride and happiness radiate off of him before he removed her blindfold. She let out a small gasp as the cloth fell away, revealing her surprise.

It was the mansion's roof, but instead of it being covered with snow and ice like it should have in the middle of January; it was covered in greenery. Grass and flowers covered the roof floor, while trees, bushes, and flowerbeds decorated the scene. It was a beautiful garden scene, complete with fountains and stone benches. Even a swing with ivy climbing up the side occupied the rooftop! Past the roof top, she could see the grounds were still covered with snow. She really didn't need a coat, like Scott had told her (she wasn't surprised about that, Scott would never do anything to put her in discomfort, especially since they found out she was pregnant), because there seemed to be a shield around the roof, keeping in the heat of a late summer day.

"Oh, Scott." Jean whispered, tears falling from her eyes. She was the luckiest woman on the planet, finding a guy like him.

"Storm helped with the weather, and one of the students helped grow the grass and flowers." Scott said nervously. He wasn't the type to do grand gestures, he was just too shy. Sure, he could save her from Sinister or Magneto, but that was easy. Finding the right worlds to tell her how much he loved her or doing corny romantic stuff never came easy for him. He just hoped that he had done good.

"Its beautiful." Jean cooed, wrapping her arms up and around his neck. Her pregnant belly prevent her from falling into his arms completely, a place where she always used to fit just right. She looked up into his red visor covered eyes, not wishing for the first time she could see them bare.

He too wrapped his arms around her. At the same time, they looked down at the belly that was stopping them from getting closer to each other. Meeting each other's eyes once more, they grinned.

"Come on, I made dinner." Scott said, leading her over to particularly beautiful part of the garden where a blanket was spread out along with a candle light dinner.

"Wow," Jean said with surprise, looking down at the prepared meal.

"Don't worry, Dani made the meal. I didn't want to ruin the evening by poisoning you." Scott said, coming up behind his wife and nuzzling her neck.

"Is there anything you did by yourself?" Jean teased, giggling like a teenage girl as he spun her around.

"Yeah, I got you up here and I did that." He embraced her once more and nodded at a full grown tree, planted firmly at the corner of the roof. Looking closer, Jean realised it was the old oak that used to occupy the courtyard on the school grounds. The tree that they meant under, the tree that they first kissed under, and the tree that he proposed under. There was something different about it though (other than its new home), on the trunk scratched into the bark was a heart and instead was written "Jean and Scott 4ever".

"I remembered how you always wanted me to do that, every time we met under it. But I wouldn't because-" Scott tried to explain, but Jean interrupted.

"But you didn't want your friends to see because you thought they would tease you." Jean laughed.

"Hey, don't laugh. They still might. I'm taking a big risk here." Scott said, comically seriously.

Jean laughed again, making him smile. "So help me down here, this belly makes it difficult to sit down. What a cruel man I married, making a pregnant woman have to sit on the ground to get a decent meal."

Scott frowned, suddenly worried. "I'm sorry Jean! I wasn't thinking! I'll go get a table and chairs and come right bac-"

Jean covered his mouth to silence him, and smiled. "I was only teasing, love. But seriously, help me sit down."

Scott offered his wife a timid smile before helping her get down and settle. He poured her a glass of lemonade with ice cubes and handed it to her before getting her a plate together.

"You really didn't have to do all this Scott." Jean said, placing a hand on his arm.

"No, I guess I didn't, but I wanted to. I want you to be happy. And I was feeling guilty about having to leave you all those times for missions with the X-Men, when you needed me. I should have been rubbing you feet or going out and bringing you food when you had cravings, but instead I was-"

"Saving the world? Yeah, that's really horrible of you." Jean laughed. "Scott, I can take care of myself. Sure, it would have been nice to have you with me every second of the day, but I knew the world needed you more. You're the leader of the X-men! I really couldn't expect you to take maternity leave."

Scott massaged Jean's aching back, making her sigh with pleasure.

"And besides, if I could have come along with you guys on missions if you really felt that bad about leaving me." Jean sighed, closing her eyes and lulling back her head.

Scott frowned again. "That's not funny Jean."

The idea of putting Jean and their baby in danger scared him to death. It was bad enough when Jean was always going out on missions with the X-men, but when she wanted to continue to do so after they found out she was pregnant, he flipped out. If he had his way, he would put her in a soft padded room where nothing could ever hurt her. The same with their baby. But he knew that wasn't ever going to happen.

Scott stopped rubbing her back, an idea just coming to him. Actually, he'd been thinking about it a lot, but he never really considered it as much as he did now.

Jean looked around to see why he stopped, raising an eyebrow. "Dear?"

"Jean," Scott said slowly. "What would you think about, about us retiring? You know, once the baby's born. We could move away from the mansion and buy a house. That way our baby wouldn't have to grow up with all this chaos. We wouldn't have to fear for him or her every second of everyday."

"What?" Jean quickly (or at least, moved as fast as her belly would allow) spun to fully face Scott. "But this is our home! The baby's family is here! How do you think everyone would feel if we just stole away with their niece or nephew? I know being superheroes isn't exactly the quiet life that most people would want to raise a family in, but this is who we are. And like it or not, the baby wouldn't be any safer away from here. We're still mutants, and there's a good chance our baby will be one too. This is the safest place. At home, with our family. End of discussion."

Jean struggled to stand up, but once she did she strode across the rooftop to the edge. There she stood, arms crossed, like some mystical ice queen. Scott scrambled to follow her.

"I'm sorry Jean; it's just that I'm so worried about our kid. I want what's best for him or her. I want to be the best dad I can be. I know what its like to grow up with no parents, and I don't want our kid to have to live the same way because we get killed on some mission." Scott said softly.

"I know, I understand," Jean sighed still looking off into the distance. "I'm afraid too, but I know that if anything happens to us, our baby will still have a family with the X-men. And they'll be able to protect her better than anyone."

"Yeah, I guess- wait, her? You said her?" Scott repeated.

Jean turned and smiled up at her husband. "I found out yesterday, I've just been waiting for the right chance to tell you."

Scott beamed as he picked up his wife and spun her around joyfully.

"Scott! Stop it!" Jean laughed. Scott smiled sheepishly before he carried her back over to the blanket and laid her down softly. He then laid down next to her, playing with her hair as he looked into her eyes.

Jean knew how much he wanted a girl (she read his thoughts loud and clear) and she was happy that he was so happy. She knew she shouldn't have used the news he wanted so badly as an excuse to change subjects. She knew how scared he was and she felt the same, but a part of her told her everything would be okay if they stayed at the mansion. It was the first place since developing her powers that she found a home, friends, and a family. She had been locked away in a mental hospital because she told her parents that she heard voices. Things became worse when they discovered she really _did _hear people's thoughts and was a mutant. Drugs can solve mental problems, nothing could cure her from being a mutant. After such a traumatic childhood and finding a haven here, she didn't want to leave. She wanted her little girl to feel safe and normal at the mansion. To be proud of her powers she was bound to have. Hopefully Scott wouldn't bring up leaving again.

"I'm glad it's a girl. I want her to be exactly like you." Scott told her, still beaming as he leant forward to kiss her again.

Suddenly a whirling sound filled the air and the X-Jet hovered into view. Leaves and parts of the picnic dinner flew away from the blasts of air from the jet. The door opened and Hank leaned out the door.

"Sorry for the interruption," The blue furred man beast called. "But it's an emergency. The Brotherhood has attacked a hospital where there were rumours that they experimented on mutants. We need to go now."

Scott and Jean groaned, as Scott got to his feet and helped up Jean.

"I'm sorry, we'll celebrate later. And go over the girls' name list again." Scott kissed Jean's forehead before jumping into the open jet door.

Leaning out, Scott called. "I love you Jean! With all my heart!"

Jean waved until the jet flew out of sight. She really did love it when Scott found the right words. Walking over to the swing by some yellow rose bushes, she say down and hoped with all her heart that her baby's father would come home safe tonight. Maybe retirement wouldn't be such a bad thing…


	2. Chapter 2

_* The X-men and their world belongs to Marvel._

_Please review!_

"Storm, block off Mystique! Hank, get those kids out of here!" Scott bellowed to his team. They had arrived at the chaotic hospital and quickly tried to maintain order, but it wasn't going so well. In between trying to free trapped people and fight the Brotherhood, they also had to deal with people freaking out more as more mutants showed up. "Sean, go after-ooff!"

Scott's latest commands were lost as he had the wind knocked out of him from behind. From the ground, he looked up through his ruby visor and saw Sabretooth looking down at him with a sneer.

"Poor four eyes," Victor Creed snarled, putting his foot on Scott's head and started to apply an almost unbearable pressure on it. "Doesn't look like yer'll be able to bark orders to them with yer brain spread across the floor."

Before he could do as he had threatened, Beast jumped on his back from about and knocked him away from his friend. "None of that now."

"Thanks Hank," Scott pushed himself off the floor and shook his head. It was a good thing Hank came, Jean would kill him if he died.

Quickly scanning the room, Scott took in his surroundings. Storm was in a fight with Mystique, who was trying to kick her in the face as Storm summoned baseball size hail to attack Mystique. Angel was flying two small children out of the large hole that used to be a wall. Banshee was keeping an angry looking Blob at bay with his scream, but only just. Hank and Sabretooth were in a wrestling match that involved teeth and claws.

But where was-

"Ah, Cyclops." A pleasant voice spoke from above Scott, making him look up. Magneto, the man he'd been looking, for flew high above Scott. Landing on a pile of ruined building, Magneto crossed his arms and continued to look down at the younger man. "So its you and Charles little team that's been causing all the commotion."

"Actually, the Brotherhood was causing quite enough before we got here." Scott replied through gritted teeth. "What do you think you're doing, attacking a _hospital_?"

"My dear man, this is not a place of healing but of experimentation on higher races. These homo sapiens have our kind locked up in the basement like animals and experiment on them. These animals were actually trying to take away our superiority, trying to make us like _them_." Magneto practically spat the last word.

Turning mutants into humans? Scott thought, shocked, but didn't let his emotions show.

"So you're hurting innocent people? Yeah, that makes you the real saint." Scott replied with distain as he inched closer to the terrorist.

"If a few animals were hurt in the process of shutting this monstrosity down, so be it." Magneto sniffed. Suddenly he called out. "Sabretooth, set the detonator. Mystique, prepare the helicopter. The rest of you, get out of here!"

Sabretooth threw Hank off of him and into the wall before running out of the wrecked hospital waiting room. Mystique broke away from Storm and jumped onto a large, flat piece of metal that Magneto controlled, allowing her to escape.

"Everyone! Stop them at the roof!" Scott hollered to his team, "I'm going after Sabretooth."

Breaking into a run, ignoring his teams' protests, he chased after Sabretooth. Weaving through the halls and dodging piles of rubble and pieces of ceiling falling; he finally found him.

Or at least, he thought he had. Scott fell into a walk, entering the room that he was certain he saw Sabretooth go into. He saw the gigantic bomb, its time of three minutes set but not changing, but no Sabretooth.

"Where'd he-" Scott mused, walking towards the bomb.

"Surprise." Sabretooth growled, jumping down from the ceiling and onto Scott's back.

The force of the larger man knocked him down, taking off his visor. Swearing, Cyclops's felt around him frantically, searching for his protective visor. He didn't dare open his eyes, in case there were still people in the building or if his laser beams hit the bomb, making it explode a hundred times more powerful then if it was detonated. Deciding that he couldn't find them amongst all the litter on the ground, he pulled out his glasses and put them on. They weren't ideal for battle, but at least he could safely see where Sabretooth was.

With his glasses on, he now heard Sabretooth come up behind him. Using the element of surprise, Scott kicked back his leg in attempt to trip Sabretooth and give him more time. Unfortunately, he foot met the man's leg with a hard thump, but didn't take him down.

Laughing, Sabretooth grabbed Scott by the throat and slammed him into one of the few remaining walls. "Stupid move, bub; did yah really think that would work?"

Scott squirmed, trying to shake loose his glasses so that the Sabretooth would get a blast of laser beam in the face.

"Uh-uh." Sabretooth chided, slamming Scott again. "Stupid Cyclops, really stupid. Stupid that yah still fight for these pathetic weaklings; even after all the crap they put us through. Stupid that you fight against yer own kind. Oh well, soon you won't be a problem to us any more."

Scott was not sputtering, trying to suck air into his lungs, but Creed's hand prevented much from getting in.

He's playing with me, like a cat does with a mouse, Scott thought disgustedly.

"Too bad to, yah and yer wife were supposed to have a kid any day now, weren't yah?" Sabretooth purred. "Maybe I'll pay them a little visit once yer gone. I always did like red heads…"

The thought of this monster coming near his daughter and wife gave Scott a new strength. Taking in all that was left of him with his last breath; he focussed it all into his eyes. His glasses melted instantly, allowing his optic laser beams to slam into Sabretooth's face with full force.

Scott was dropped instantly, letting him know that he could shut his eyes once more. He gulped down breaths of dusty air, and debris from the collapsing building around him. He didn't hear Sabretooth moving, but he wasn't sure how long that would last. After all, the man was a healer.

"Scott, SCOTT!" He heard Ororo call his name frantically over and over from a distance away.

"I'm in here Storm!" Scott called back. With in moments, he felt his old friend kneel beside him and roll him over.

"God, I'm glad to see you!" Scott admitted, relieved. "I thought the building was going to collapse on me before you got here. I've lost both my visor and glasses, can you help me?"

"We wouldn't leave here without you, Scott." Storm said, lifting her leader into the air with her winds.

"Thanks 'Ro."

"I'm just glad I found you. You think you'd have it bad if you die? Well, wait till you saw what Jean do to us for letting you."

Storm flew Scott to the safety of the X-jet, avoiding the collapsing roof.

But still there, amongst the falling building, a clawed fist breaks through the rubble above its owner. Sbaretooth sat up abruptly, his face now healed from Scott's blast.

"Stupid bastard, thinking that could stop me." Creed growled, rubbing his newly healed face. It took him a moment to realise that he could not see his own hand, right in front of his face.

"What the hell-"

He couldn't see anything. Creed stretched open his eyes, as much as they could be opened. He even tore off his own eyelids to make sure they were opened. He looked frantically around him, but still saw nothing but darkness.

"You'll pay for this , you bastard! YOU'LL PAY!" Sabretooth roared, not knowing where the man who took his vision was, only knowing that he was going to take something from him.

Taking deep breaths, his mind was already working out a plan.

So four-eyes had a daughter coming, did he?


	3. Chapter 3

_* The X-men and their world belongs to Marvel._

"Come Jean honey! Just one more push!" Scott encourages his wife, trying to coach her through delivery of their baby while dodging the objects flying around the room.

"Oooh!" Jean moaned, her face red and sweaty. "Just shut up!"

A medical instrument tray flew at Scott's head. If it hadn't been for a laser he shot out of his eye to knock it away, it probably would have caused a concussion. They knew Jean was very close now because her telekinesis was going wild. She no longer had control over the flying items, but it was debatable if that tray had been aimed.

Jean's face was now roughly the same colour of her hair. With one more push, her daughter was born into the world. Jean was gasping and the levitating items around the room fell to the floor. Scott smoothed back his wife's sweaty red hair as Ororo slapped the baby's feet gentle to get her to start to cry.

"Is it safe to come in now?" Sean opened the MedBays door open cautiously. Him and the rest of the X-men (except for Storm and Scott) had fled the room when Jean accidently used her empathic powers to make Scott feel her delivering pains himself.

Storm handed Jean a clean tiny baby girl who already had a head of thin soft red hair. Scott leaned in to his wife and daughter, not trying to hide his emotions as he usually did around his team.

"She's beautiful." Scott kissed Jean's forehead softly. "Just like you."

Jean's eyes filled with tears of pure joy, but she hid them as she put her face up to her daughter's face.

The X-men stood back to view the beautiful family scene, giving them space to relish in the moment.

There was a new Summers in the family.

xXx

"Scott, can you bring me another towel?" Jean called softly. Currently she was sitting by the window of the Summers apartment in a rocking chair, feeding little Alanta. The past two weeks had been like some odd dream to Jean. She was still amazed that she was a mother and it was only the dirty jobs that came with taking care of a baby and the late nights that kept her from thinking that she'd wake up and this to be gone.

The other X-men accepted the baby and loved her already. Storm and Beast had been named Alanta's godparents, while Charles Xavier was her unofficial grandfather. The rest were adopted uncles and aunts.

They would each beg to hold the small girl, saying that they just liked her being close. They even offered to take care of Alanta, feeding her and diaper duty. She was loved by her adopted family almost as much as her parents.

Scott came up behind his wife and handed her the requested towel. He nuzzled her neck as she prepared to burp their daughter. "Anything else?"

"Yup, back up unless you want to be puked on." Jean quipped.

Jean had been a little wary at first about how Scott would react to Alanta. While he was open and loving with Jean, he did have a problem showing love and emotion to other people. She thought he'd be afraid of their little girl and be reluctant to take care of her, but her worries were soon forgotten. At first he did act reluctant to hold Alanta, but after Jean placing her in his arms, all fears faded. He now wanted to do everything for his little girl and got very protective/crazy when his friends wanted their turn.

After burping the tiny girl and cleaning her up, Jean stepping out onto their balcony. She used her powers to create a shield to keep in the heat. Scott followed, grabbing a blanket just in case the baby showed signs of coldness.

"So me and Hank were talking yesterday." Jean drawled. "Apparently he started a collage fund for Alanta already. He wants her to go through as a brain surgeon."

Scot paled and took Alanta from her mother, "What? Already? That's crazy. Besides, she can't go to collage because she's never leaving home."

Jean laughed at her husband's silliness. "Scott, we really don't have to worry about that now, she's not even a month old! But someday, we will have to let her go."

Seeing the look of pure horror on Scott's face, Jean sighed and said. "Never mind. We'll never have to worry about her growing up because she'll stay this size forever."

"Good." Scott murmured, pulling his daughter closer to him.

Feeling the new sensation of sunlight on her face, Alanta squirmed a little. Curious to the warmth and light, revealing her eyes for the first time to her parents.

Seeing her eyes, Jean looked on with surprise.

"Uh, Scott? Dear, look at her." Jean beamed and leaned on her husband's shoulder.

"Wh-oh geez!" Scott nearly dropped her at the shock of seeing his daughter's eyes. She looked so much like her mother that it was a shock to see his eyes on his daughter's face. It had been years of course since he was able to see his eyes, on account that they shot uncontrollable energy beams.

But he'd recognise them any where. Those intense blue orbs were the same as his were behind his ruby lensed glasses.

Alanta yawn and closed her eyes once more, deciding that show time was over.

"I always wanted to see your eyes." Jean beamed, snuggling up to Scott. She didn't seem upset at all that her daughter didn't process her own deep green eyes.

They small family looked out into the scenery, feeling completely joyful and that at the moment all was right in the world.

But down below a predator awaits. Using his senses, he in a way witnesses the scene of the young family. His eyes, once feline and golden, were now white orbs. He pulls his lips back in a sneer, knowing that soon he'll have ruined his enemy's life, just as he had ruined his.


	4. Chapter 4

_* The X-men and their world belongs to Marvel._

Victor Creed leapt with cat like grace up the side of the Xavier Institute, using his strong claws and muscles to get to the roof with ease. He had no trouble avoiding the alarm systems the school put up. As if those petty precautions could keep him out. Even blind he could break into the grounds by the means of his other enhanced senses. The helmet he wore stopped the psychics in the school from knowing of his presence, while those who could smell him would think that he was another student.

Reaching the roof of the main part of the mansion, Creed let out a rumbling laugh. He didn't exactly know what he was laughing at, maybe at how easy a blind man could break into one of the most protected places in the country or maybe it was just a minor celebration of completing the first stage of his revenge.

"Someone could hear you, you know." A feminine voice chided from behind him.

He smelt her before, a scent of cheap perfume, gun powder and coffee. He didn't bother turning around to look at his past partner, not seeing the point when he was blind. He continued to stare down at the empty school grounds, seeing nothing.

"Glad yah came." Creed grunted.

"Oh well, with that pleasant message you left on my answering machine, how could I refuse?" He heard her come up beside him and he could imagine the smirk on her face. Birdie always was the only one who would tease him openly, without fear of being murdered. When she was his partner in crime years before, she was the only one who could help him sleep with the help of her mutant powers.

Creed gave a grunt for a reply.

"How did you say it?" Birdie continue, then imitated his rough feral voice. " 'Birdie get yer ass to Xavier's. Got a job fer yah.' Seriously, we haven't talked in ages and you don't even bother with a hello? Ask how I'm doing?"

"That's enough." Creed snarled at the curvy blonde.

"And now you can't even bother to look at me. Real nice." The blonde pouted. He heard her shift, trying to get in his face without falling off the roof. "Seriously, I don't know why I should help you when- oh my god."

Guessing that Birdie had seen his pure white eyes, causing her to finally shut up, Creed took the opportunity to speak.

"Yeah, I know."

"What happened?" Birdie asked concerned. "Why haven't you just healed?"

"I don't know!" Sabretooth barked. "I've given them weeks to heal. Damn it, I even tried ripping them out and growing new ones but the result is always the same!"

Birdie put a consoling hand gently on Creed's shoulder, a move not many would try with the Sabretooth. Creed sighed and didn't pull away, just continued explaining.

"That's what this job's about. I'm getting back at the bastard who did this to me."

"Sure, I'm up for that." Birdie nodded. "So what? Which X-men are we gonna wack?"

"It's a little more complicated than just killing him." With that Creed went on to explain his malevolent plan to his old partner.

xXx

"And whose the prettiest little girl in the world?" Scott Summers cooed to his baby girl as he gave her a bath. "That's right! Its Alanta!"

Alanta gurgled gleefully and splashed more water onto the bathroom floor.

"You are so weird." Scott looked around to see Jean leaning in the door way, smirking at her husband and daughter. In her hand was the new video camera Hank got for Alanta's christening a week previous. "The team just left for that conference with the Shi'Ar, Angel told me to tell you that he'd bring back some a'jul juice for you."

Scott smiled as he pulled his daughter out of the small baby tub and wrapped her in a soft towel. He held Alanta up to his face and gave her butterfly kisses while saying. "And who's the biggest spoilsport in the world? That's right, mommy is!"

Jean held the small camera to face her before she said, "My dear husband, your father is not half as funny as he thinks he is. Over the years he will try to convince you that he has a sense of humour, but don't believe it for a second."

Scott laughed as he carried a towel clad Alanta over to the nursery, Jean followed with the camera.

"The team just left for that conference with the Shi'Ar, Angel told me to tell you that he'd bring back some a'jul juice for you." Jean mentioned.

"Still think I should have gone but-" Scott started to say.

"But you need to spend time with your family before you go back to work." Jean reminded. "Can you turn her this way? And pull back the towel a little, its blocking her face from the camera."

"You don't always have to have that thing on you know." Scott commented as he found a pale yellow pair of pjs and started to dress Alanta for bed. "Its not like we won't be able to remember the "baby" years."

"You say that now, but when she's a moody teenager and fights with us about everything you'll be glad that you can look back on these days." Jean countered, zooming in on her smiling daughter's face.

"Ah, Aly won't be that kind of kid. She'll always be respectful and do whatever I say because she loves her funny daddy so much." Scott picked up Alanta and held her in one arm. "We all ready discussed this over a classic game of Peek-a-boo."

Jean frowned. "You know, if the adult is the only one enjoying that game there is a serious problem."

Scott was about to retort but Alanta yawned and his attention was brought back to her. He smiled lovingly at her as he laid her down in her crib and pulled the blanket Dani bought for her up around the small girl.

Almost instantly Alanta was asleep, a talent her parents were very happy that she had.

Both leaned over the wooden sides and looked down at their little girl.

"I really couldn't imagine life before her, you know?" Scott said quietly. "I was so happy with you before, but now that she's in our life-"

"It seems like life is complete." Jean finished.

They stayed silent for sometime before Scott said. "What you were saying before…"

"Oh Scott, you do have a sense of humour and you can be funny, in your own way." Jean reassured, rubbing his arm.

"No, about her growing up." Scott said. "Well, I decided that she's not allowed to."

Jean was almost going to laugh at what he said before she saw the serious and scared look on his face.

"Oh, honey."

"I'm serious. Teenagers are bad news and I don't want her to be one. Things just get more dangerous for them when they become teenagers. I'm thinking that she's allowed to be eight, but no higher." Scott said stubbornly, looking at his wife with all seriousness.

"Scott-"

"Okay, fine, nine. But that's only if she promises to be the same as an eight year old."

"You are insane." Jean tried to joke off her husband's fears but his face didn't lighten up one bit as he stared down at their sleeping daughter. Jean tried to change tactics. "Scott, you know that's not possible. Babies growing up is just life."

"Then can we lock her in a tower, away from teenage boys?" Scott asked hopefully.

Jean smiled and shook her head. "Sorry but that's not how things work. The best we can do is love her with all our hearts, try to teach her what is right, and prepare her for the teenage years. I know you'll be amazing father to her, every step of the way. Whether its giving her baths and kissing her goodnight or comforting her when her first boyfriend doesn't call or teaching how to drive."

Scott seemed to think this over, then his brow wrinkled and he gave his wife a scared puppy look. "She's going to _drive_? And what do you mean _"boyfriend"_?"

Jean side and pulled her husband away from their sleeping child. She realised that he really wasn't ready yet for the drama that came with teenage girls. But that was okay, he'd learn. She knew she was going to have a _lot _more of these talks with her fearful husband over the years.

"Dear, if it makes you feel any better just know that next time you see her, Alanta won't be a teenager but the same sweet little baby girl that you can protect from the world." Jean comforted Scott, turning off the lights and closing the door to the nursery behind them.

xXx

"Don't tell me yer chickening out now, Birdie!" Creed growled from his perch on the roof top.

"Well, how am I suppose to react to this?" Birdie hissed, trying to keep her voice low. "You don't want to kill this Scott guy but kidnap his _kid_? What did she do to deserve this?"

"That's not the point. He takes from me, I take from him." Creed said, not for the first time. Every since explaining his plan to Birdie she had been trying to back out of the kidnapping. She was fine with stealing, assassinating, but stealing a _kid_? That was a whole different story.

"Can't we just kill Scott instead?" Birdie whined.

"No!" Creed barked back at her, making her draw back in fear. Though she was pretty brave around the feral man, he still did scare her. He took a couple deep breaths before saying. "Its almost time, send the alarm."

Birdie nodded and skilfully slide down the drainage pipe two floors below. Using a tool she broke a lock on the window and eased herself inside. Normally an alarm would have sounded but Birdie had previously disarmed the school's security systems. Creeping down the hall, she entered the Summers' door with ease and crept inside. She heard that this Jean chick, that Scott guy's wife, was a pretty powerful telepath. But so was Birdie.

Finding their bedroom, Birdie used her power to put Jean into a deep sleep. Almost so deep that she was comatose. She was about to do the same to Scott when an alarm sounded, making him awake with a start. Thankfully out of habit, Scot pulled on his glasses before opening his eyes. Seeing the strange blonde woman standing above him, her hands glowing from using her powers, he gave a startled yell. Taking advantage of the moment, Birdie punched him in the face and made a run for it.

Making it to the door, she sensed presences on the other side. Changing tactics, she ran into the closest room to find a window to escape through. She slammed the door shut on Scott's face and locked it. When she turned, she saw Creed picking up a whimpering baby from its crib.

"Move!" Birdie yelled, but Creed was already out the window. Birdie quickly followed, just getting through the window in time to avoid a powerful red energy beam.

" GET THE HELL AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER!" Scott bellowed, chasing after the unknown kidnappers.

He ran after them, but he began to lag behind when the two criminals used their mutant powers and past experience to quickly get down to the grounds. The last jump he made to reach the ground had hurt him, but nothing was going to stop him. He continued after them, limping slightly. He didn't know who they were. The woman who was in his home was a stranger and it was too dark to see who the other was.

From ahead, Birdie panted slightly as she leaned on the bridge railing. She figured Cyclops's was still after them, and they only had a few minutes before he caught up. She even sensed Jean was now coming after them as well. _Shit, she was able to get out of my sleep hold? _Birdie mused, _I really don't want to be here when that chick gets here._

"What are you doing?" Birdie asked, watching Creed stripe away the pale yellow pyjamas that Scott had only dressed Alanta in hours before. Next he pushed the whimpering baby into Birdie's arms and pulled a child's baby doll out of his backpack and dress the fake in the clothing. He then switched the real baby for the fake with Birdie.

"Stand at the bridge and threaten to throw this in." Creed explained quickly. "Make sure he see's you throw this in and then get the hell out of here. Meet me at this address, but don't come if Jean flies after you. Don't think she will, but just in case."

Birdie looked at the freezing cold, fast moving water with chunks of ice in it under the bridge and shuddered. That would surely kill a kid, and this plan was equally as surely to break Jean and Scott.

While paying attention to the water and what she was about to do, she never noticed that Creed had left.

"Oh my god," Scott was suddenly at one side of the bridge, a pale horrified look on his face. "Please, don't hurt her. She's just a baby, please. I'll give you what ever you want, just don't hurt her!"

Remembering the plan, Birdie held the doll over the bridge. "Don't come any closer or try anything, or I swear I'll drop her!"

Scott was now on his knees, "Please, give her to me. I don't know who you are or why you're doing this but I'm begging you, don't hurt her."

"Should have thought about that before you did what you did." Birdie said cruelly, feeling awful all the while. Taking a deep breath, she threw the doll into the deadly waters below and flew off, trying to block out a father's terrible scream for his daughter.

xXx

Scott looked down at pure horror at where his Alanta, his world, fell into the lethal waters below. He couldn't believe it, it was all some horrible nightmare, it just couldn't be true…

"Scott! SCOTT!" Jean ran up to Scott and shook him roughly. "Where is she? WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER, SCOTT?"

"Sh-she dropped her. She…" Scott stuttered, dumbfounded.

"What? Oh my god, no!" Jean realised what he meant and tried to jump over the railings of the bridge to the spot where she thought her daughter was dropped.

Only seeing his wife nearly dive into the treacherous waters brought Scott back. He now had fifty horrible emotions running through him at once over what had happened, but he was thinking clearly enough to pull Jean back to safety. She fought against him, screaming for him to let her go; but he held on.

"She's gone Jean, she's gone." He whispered into his wife's hair, as she eventually stopped fighting his restraints.

Jean fell to her knees and cried freely. Scott too got on the bridge's floor on his knees and held his wife, trying to comfort her as he cried as well.

Alanta was gone…


	5. Chapter 5

_* The X-men and their world belongs to Marvel._

"I am considering killing you for bringing that here." Mystique hissed, rubbing her aching temples. "One, it was stupid to pull this stunt in the first place and two, you should have just drowned her."

"I'm trying to calm her down, so unless you feel like helping, then just shut up!" Creed barked at the blue woman, waving different items in the baby's face to stop the constant wail that erupted from her small mouth.

"Have you tried changing her diaper, moron?" Mystique snarled. Creed was about to yell at her, then realised that he hadn't tried that. All he's done so far was yell at her to shut up and waved things in her face.

Handing the baby off to Birdie to change, Creed sat in an old chair that was left over from the previous owners. They were currently in the Brotherhood's newest hideout. Houses and buildings were easy to get on account that they had a woman who could shape shift. She obtained this one by killing the new owner, who had recently got it out of their inherence from a recently deceased family member, and shape shifting into that person to get the deeds.

"So did you have any plans for her, after kidnapping her and faking her death? Or are you just playing this one by ear?" Mystique asked mockingly.

Creed opened his mouth but then shut it again. Truth is, he really didn't know. He didn't want to look after his enemy's brat, but for some reason he was reluctant to just kill her. He didn't know why, maybe because he'd gone to so much trouble to get her.

"Pha, he's gunna get rid of her. Like Magneto would let him keep her." Avalanche declared from the couch where he was watching tv.

"The child stays." A voice said sternly from the doorway. Magneto, leader of the Brotherhood stepped out of the shadows. An elderly woman with a cloak stepped out from behind him. "Do you know how long I wanted her mother to join our cause? This child will someday share that power, maybe even be superior to it."

"How do you know that, boss?" The Blob asked. Everyone glared at him. Fred was new to the cause and still didn't know when to just stay quiet and do as Magneto says.

Magneto shared a look with the elderly woman beside him before answering. "I just do. The child stays."

With that he turned and went back to his study.

xXx

"Jean, honey, you have to eat something. Its been days…" Scott said quietly. Ever since Dani and Xavier brought them back from the bridge, Jean has been locked away in the nursery. She refused to eat, only taking a few sips of water a day, and she wouldn't leave the room. The little water she drank was used on her tears.

The X-men had come back from the Shi'Ar ship to find out what had happened to the little girl. The whole mansion was in mourning. The younger students didn't understand what happened, while the older students didn't know how to console their teacher's. The hallways were silent with respect for Alanta's parents. The teachers still tried to teach, with the exception of Jean and Scott, but their hearts weren't into it.

The funeral was planned for today. The X-men had given it a week to let her parents grieve and to try to find her body. But Jean was still refusing to leave the room and the poor baby's body had been taken far away by the strong current.

Jean hadn't changed at all when Scott entered the room. She continued to lean against the cradle and stare off into space as tears leaked from her eyes. Scott wanted to shut down as Jean had, but he couldn't. He had to be strong for her and take care of her.

"Um, the service is in about an hour." Scott tried gently. He agreed to have a proper farewell for his daughter, but he never got a real answer out of Jean of how she felt about it.

"Can't go." Jean croaked. After days of crying but not using her voice, her voice was hardly audible.

Hearing his wife finally speak, Scott fell to his knees and looked into her empty eyes. "Pardon?"

"I can't go. Can't let her go."

"Jean," Scott bit his lip, trying not to cry. He didn't know what to say. "Jean, she's…gone. We have to let her go, but this way, this way we'll be able to say goodbye."

Jean suddenly stood up and looked down at her husband, anger flashing in her eyes. "How can you do this? How can you just pretend everything's fine when our daughter is dead? You're letting her go! "

Scott got up now too, trying to think of what to say.

" Jean-"

"Shut up!" Jean started hitting Scott's chest as hard as she could, which wasn't much. She was so weak from not eating and her emotional state.

"Jean, stop this!" Scott wrapped his arms around her, restraining her. "Listen to me. You acting this way isn't going to bring her back. You nearly killing yourself by not eating or drinking is dishonouring her memory! Do you really think I'm letting her go, just like that? This is killing me, just as much as it is you! But I have to go on, because that's life. And so do you."

Jean stopped struggling by now and a new wave of tears were leaking down her face. She buried her face in her husband's chest and wept. Scott smoothed her hair and lowered his voice.

"I love Alanta," This was the first time saying her name since the bridge. It was almost a taboo to say it in the school now a days. "I always will. But we have to go on. This service is to say goodbye, and I think you should go."

He stayed there, holding his grieving wife for an hour. Just letting her cry more. Eventually, he pulled her from the nursery and laid her in their bed where she fell asleep. Exiting the room, he saw Beat, Banshee and Angel standing in the doorway.

"After the service, we'll take the nursery down to storage." He said, trying to keep his voice strong in front of his teammates and friends. "Its not easy to look at, at everything. We'll take everything out of sight, I think that will help."

The X-men nodded and left to get dressed for the funeral.

xXx

_Five years later_

"Shut up Pietro, its not true its not true ITS NOT TRUE!" Alanta shrieked, sitting down and covering her ears.

"Uh-huh! You were abducted!" The older boy argued gleefully. The son of Magneto was two years older than Alanta and loved nothing better to tease and bully the girl. At the moment he was trying to say she was adopted, something he heard from Mystique and Avalanche while spying on them, but he misheard the proper term. Truthfully, he didn't really know what it meant, but he was sure it was bad and used it to his advantage.

"Leave her alone 'Tro." His twin sister Wanda told him from her spot on the couch where she was flipping through a book.

"Its true! You were abducted, and that means you aint got no family!" Pietro now pulled on the small girl's red braids to add to the torment.

"I said, shut up!" Alanta squealed. She didn't understand, Creed used that phrase all the time and it usually stopped them from talking. Punching the boy in the gut, she made a run from the kitchen where she knew Birdie was.

Birdie had stayed on to look after the girl. She didn't have any experience with kids but she learned quickly. She regretted helping Creed kidnap Alanta and thought she could made amends by looking after her and keeping her safe from the Brotherhood members. She sort of become the nanny of the house, a nanny/assassin. She not only looked after Alanta but Magneto's twins. Birdie really surprised herself at how good she was at this whole "homemaker" thing. Today she found herself baking cookies (something that years ago she would never believe herself doing) for the kids while the Brotherhood went to stir up trouble at an anti-mutant protest.

"Hey Carrot." Birdie greeted the small girl as she crawled onto a high stool at the kitchen island. The nickname was one that came fast, both because of her vibrant red hair and her love for vegetables.

"Birdie," Alanta sighed. "I'm abducted."

Birdie nearly dropped the bowl of cookie batter she was holding. How did she find out? Where did she hear that word? She turned around so Alanta couldn't see her shocked face. The kid was pretty smart for a five year old.

Birdie plastered a fake smile on her face and turned around. "Where did you hear that, sweetie?"

"Pietro told me."

Birdie nearly swore (she was the only person in the house other than Magneto to resist the urge to swear around the kids), that boy causes more drama in this house than most teenagers!

"He says it mean I got no family and nobody wants me." Alanta explained sadly to the older woman.

Oh, Birdie thought with relief, she means _adopted_.

"Honey, I think you mean adopted."

"Does it mean the same thing?"

"No sweetheart," Birdie explained patiently as she slipped the tray of cookies in the oven. "Adopted means your first parents," Crap, how do I say this? "It means your first parents aren't around so you get taken in by a new family."

Alanta thought this over for awhile. "So who's my family now?"

She knew that Birdie looked after her and the twins, and that the twin's dad was Magneto, but she didn't know about a family. Which one was her mommy and daddy? The Brotherhood had different members and lots of people coming and going from the house.

Birdie thought for a moment, "Well, all of us, I guess."

Alanta looked at the blonde with those pretty blue eyes, waiting for an explanation.

"Uh, Creed would be the closest thing to your daddy." Birdie improvised. Crap, Victor's going to kill me for saying that. "And, um, I guess I'm sort of your mummy. Does that make sense?"

Not really. Having "sort of" and "closest thing" parents weren't really parents at all. But Alanta let that slide and moved on to her next question.

"What about my first parents? Are they dead?" Alanta asked innocently. Death was normal in this place. Somebody was either talking about killing someone, someone they already killed or being threatened to be killed.

Birdie really didn't know how to answer that. She dreamed that once Alanta was old enough that she would be reunited with her real parents, so she couldn't say they were dead. But neither could she tell the small girl how she was taken away from her parents.

Alanta waited patiently for her answer, but never got it.

"Carrot, go get the other two, okay? Lunch is almost ready and you guys can have freshly baked cookies." Birdie said, ignoring her question and keeping her tone light. Alanta hesitated. "Go on."

Alanta reluctantly slid off her stool and went out to get the twins, but before she left she gave Birdie a look that clearly said "this isn't over".

xXx

_Two years later_

"When do I get my powers? I'm ready to kill stupid Pietro, he keeps running circles around me. Plus the jerkface gave himself a codename "Quicksilver", is he even allowed to do that?" Alanta complained. At the age of six Creed started to train her to hunt and fight, and she was pretty good at it. Now seven years old she was amazing, but had trouble keeping her attention on his lessons.

"Just be quiet and focus, where am I?" Creed's voice floated out to her. Their current lesson took place in some woods not to far from the Brotherhood's newest lair. Creed put a blindfold on Alanta and she had to train her sense to find out where he was before he attacked. He armed the little girl with a long pole and nothing more.

"So when do I get em, huh? Will they be like yours?" Alanta ignored Creed and continued with her questions. She knew Creed wasn't her dad, but ever since that day when Birdie told her he sort of was she had tried to be the best "daughter" she could. She wanted Creed to love her like a parent, just like any little girl wanted from her father.

Creed gave up and decided to launch himself out of the tree he was hiding in. About to grab Alanta in his tackle, she leapt up onto a branch and out of harms way. She gently tapped Creed on the head with her pole to score a point.

"I made it to ten first, I win." Alanta smile and removed her blindfold. She went to sit next to Creed on the forest ground. She took a chance and leaned gently on the large man. Her heart practically soared when he didn't push her away.

"Yeah yeah, you beat an old blind man. Good for you." Creed mumbled. Creed hated losing, but he found that he didn't mind so much to losing with the little girl. He did take some victory in her win, since he was the one who trained her.

"You aren't _that _old, and I was blinded too." Alanta quipped. "So do you have an answer?"

"To what?" This kid was always asking questions.

Alanta sighed, "About my powers! Since I don't have them yet, does that mean I'm not a mutant?"

It seemed unlikely for her to not be a mutant, considering her parents. But she was only seven, and it was only a few cases that mutants developed their powers when they were kids.

"Could be." Creed felt the small girl draw back. He could picture the sad look on her face. He couldn't see her, but he pictured a young Jean Grey when thinking of Alanta. The other Brotherhood members were always saying (when she was far from hearing distance) how much Alanta looked like her.

"But, you probably are a mutant. You'll get yer powers kid, I promise." Creed wasn't the type to comfort people or really even care if they were upset, but Alanta was different.

"Oh good." Alanta sighed with relief. "But its still unfair that that stupid jerk face got them before me."

"Listen, would you stop complaining if you got a codename too?" Creed barked. He wasn't annoyed really, but he didn't want to let her know that he wanted her to be happy and equal to Pietro.

"Yeah!"

"Okay, how about…Dogbreath?"

"Uh-uh"

"Toescum?"

"That's gross!" Alanta giggled.

"How about, Wildcat?" Actually, Creed had been thinking about a codename for her for awhile now. This name just seemed to fit. She had great hunting skills, had the agility and was a stubborn fighter. Plus, it related to his name.

Alanta thought about it for a second. "I like it! Thanks Creed!" She gave him a small hug and leapt up. He heard her start to run back to the house when she suddenly stopped. "Um, do you need my help getting back to the house?"

"Just get out of here." Creed growled, then softened his tone. "I'll be okay Wildcat, you go ahead. And I don't want to be able to hear you running!"

"Yes sir." True to her word, Alanta focused on moving swiftly and silently through the woods. Creed could still hear her of course, but that was only because of his enhanced hearing.

xXx

_1 year later_

"Hey, do you want to play?" A boy with light blonde hair had run up to Alanta while she sat on the park bench. Birdie told her to stay while she went to the washroom to wash herself and Toad off after he slimed her.

"Um, alright." Alanta answered hesitantly. She was used to being by herself, except when Creed was training her or the twins let her join their games (Toad was too gross to be with). But she had to admit, the other children in the park playing hide&go seek looked like they were having fun.

She followed the blonde boy as they ran for a hiding spot while his older sister counted. They dove under a pine tree's low branches and stayed still.

Eventually they were found, but they weren't the first ones so they didn't have to count and seek. Alanta was really having fun with her new friend, laughing and running around, trying to find the best spots for them to hide. Every single time the two hid together.

Alanta was helping to push Dean (the blonde boy who first asked her to play) up into a tree for their next hiding spot. He then reached down, offering to help her up, but she shook her head. Backing up a little, she gracefully jumped high into the tree and scaled it to a higher branch. Once settles, Alanta helped Dean into the higher branches.

"Wow, you're really good at that." Dean said in awe. Alanta shrugged off the compliment, but felt a little proud of Creed for teaching her so well.

They stayed silent for awhile and watched the other kids scramble to find lame places to hide. They were so going to win this round!

"Oh, no!" Dean gasped, pointing at a bench. Alanta looked over and saw a blue furry man sitting on the bench, reading a paper.

"What?" Alanta asked her new friend.

"Well, look at him! He's a mutant!" Dean said, giving Alanta a weird look.

"Okay…" Alanta still didn't understand. She was raised in an all mutant house, used to people with different appearances. Birdie tried to protect all the children in her care from learning how much the world hated them because of their mutations.

"So what's wrong?" Alanta asked. Dean looked so scared and sick.

"Well, mutants are bad!" Dean exclaimed. "At least, that's what my dad says."

"Why?"

"Well, they just are! They have powers and can hurt you!"

Now Alanta was really confused.

"And then there's this Brotherhood of mutants." Dean went on to say. They are terrorist, that's what my dad says. They're bad guys and should be killed."

Bad guys? Killed? Alanta didn't want any of her "family" to be hurt, let alone killed?

"Um, I have to go." Alanta said quietly, jumping out of the high tree and rolling once she hit the grass.

"What? Why?" Dean asked. He looked around, trying to find a way down. "Wait, help me down!"

Alanta ignored his pleas and went over to the park's bathroom. She sat against the wall and waited for Birdie and Toad, trying to figure out what had happened.

Bad guys, she mused. Bad guys were the people with guns on those movies she watched with Fred Dukes or the ones that killed the heroes. She didn't have a very good knowledge of what is good and what is bad, Birdie was trying to teach her but it was confusing when Birdie was also a thief and assassin. But still, she never saw her "family" as bad guys. Did the whole world think they were bad guys?

Was she a bad guy?

Birdie came out of the bathroom, dragging Toad. She was surprised to find Alanta waiting for her so patiently. She promised to buy them both ice cream, for Alanta waiting so well and if Toad didn't slime her again.

Alanta left the park, a million questions swimming through her head.


	6. Chapter 6

_* The X-men and their world belongs to Marvel._

_Please review!_

_Two years later_

"Creed, we need to talk." I heard Birdie say. The Brotherhood had just gotten back from some mission, and this time they took Pietro with them. I had spent the afternoon with Wanda, trying to past the time until Creed got home. I had super exciting news to tell him and I just couldn't wait!

I was curled up in the large tree outside my bedroom window, reading a novel Birdie had got me for my birthday. I looked down to see the Brotherhood trudging into the house. Pietro looked upset about something when the others looked really grumpy. Sabretooth especially.

_Oh well,_ I thought as I threw the book back through my open window (Creed didn't like to catch me reading, he thinks it will make me weaker)_ , he'll be in a much better mood when I tell him the good news!_

"Not now Birdie! That stupid kid completely screwed up the mission and since he's Magneto's kid I can't kill him." Creed snarled and tried to push past her, but she grabbed his arm to make him look at her.

"I'm serious, you have to listen to me." Birdie practically pleaded. I frown, wondering what was wrong with her. She usually had too much sense to annoy Creed when he was already in a bad mood. "Its about Alanta."

At my name, I stopped smiling and tried to conceal myself from them in the tree's branches. This wasn't good, Birdie talking about me. I could only think of two reasons that she would talk to him about me. One that she'd tell on me for stealing some money from Avalanche to buy some more books or about my new powers.

Creed and the others had been gone so long that they weren't here when Wanda and me got sick. I had a pounding headache and couldn't sleep at all while she ached all over and also couldn't sleep. We didn't know that it was our mutant powers manifesting until we nearly destroyed the living room together by throwing objects around. I was telekinetic and she, well, I didn't really get what Wanda could do, but it sure made a mess.

But I thought Birdie was happy about my powers?

"What about her?"

"She and Wanda developed their mutant powers while you guys were away."

"So? Are they crappy or something?"

"Have you heard about what's been happening with the X-men lately?" Birdie asked.

"No, I've been to busy to deal with those losers. What does this have to do with anything?"

"Well, Jean's been having problems lately. Losing control of her powers and her powers seem to be affecting her mind." Birdie took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm worried that Wildcat is going to have the same problems with her powers, but worse. I mean, she's only ten and already she nearly destroyed the house! We need to take her to Xavier, he's the only one who's been able to help control Jean!"

"Hell no! Where did you think of something so stupid? Bring her to the _X-men_? Are you insane?" Creed roared.

Birdie stood her ground, but her voice quivered a little. "I know, I know; but this might be the only way to help her! She's still really sick, which is a sign that she's still developing more powers! I've scanned her telepathically and she's already pushing to a level 4 only two days after developing her powers! She needs help and you can't be selfish enough not to get it for her."

"Don't you dare imply that I don't care about her!" Creed yelled. "We can get her help from anywhere but the X-men."

"No one can help her like the X-men!" Birdie yelled back.

I had no idea what was going on. So what if I was powerful? I thought it was a good thing. And I didn't mind being sick, I'm sure it wouldn't last too long. Any way, I didn't want to go to these "X-men" people. I heard the Brotherhood talk about them before and apparently they were our enemies. Why would Birdie want to hand me over to enemies?

And what did this Jean person have to do with me?

I heard a loud slap ring through the night, interrupting my thoughts. I looked down to see Birdie on the ground, holding her face. I wanted to go down and help her, but Creed was still there and he was acting scary.

"Damn you!" She hissed, I had to lean forward on my branch to hear her now. "She needs help and I'm going to get for her, with or without your consent. You aren't her father, she doesn't belong here."

That was the last time I saw Birdie, my sort of mother. The scene of Creed dragging her into the woods was the last one I saw, and it still replays in my nightmares.

xXx

_Six years later_

"Wake up, Al!" I heard a female voice squeal before receiving a face full of pillow. I groaned and retreated further under my covers.

"Go away." I moaned, sticking up my hand through the covers and trying to wave my insane friend away.

"No way, it your sixteenth birthday and I'm not going to let you waste it!" I could practically see Wanda's overly bright smile shining through the covers. "I have our whole day planned and a HUGE super surprise!"

"Need sleep." I said like a zombie craving brains. "Creed kept me up half the night with his stupid training."

"Alanta, I didn't want it to have to come to this, but you've left me no choice." Wanda sighed. I peeked over my cover to see what she was talking about. "I have Toad waiting outside your door. If you are not out of this bad and putting on the outfit I picked out for you in exactly three seconds, I will let him in here so that he can give you his planned "birthday kisses"."

I sat up suddenly, "You wouldn't dare!"

Toad had gotten even grosser over the years. Now was he not only a slimy toad face that refused to shower but a teenage boy slimy toad face that refused to shower. He kept trying to sneak into mine and Wanda's room to steal our underwear and he kept hitting on us. And pretty much anything else with breasts. The freak could not take a hint!

"I would. Did I mention that he already had a breakfast of slugs?"

I looked at my best friend's face for a moment, trying to see if she was bluffing. Deciding that it wasn't worth the risk, I jumped out of bed and towards the folded clothing on a chair by my full length mirror.

"You are cruel and insane, you do realize that?" I glared over at my friend, only half mad. Wanda is a really good friend, but sometimes I wanted to kill her for the how she gets her way.

"I'm the daughter of a wanted terrorist, living in a world that hates me and I'm tragically beautiful." Wanda flopped onto my bed and put her hand to her forehead dramatically. She held the pose than grinned over at me. "So I'm allowed to be."

I laughed at her. We had this joke between us that we were "bad girls" and allowed to do whatever we wanted. Once we were old enough to understand what the Brotherhood ( the people who we grew up around) were doing and how they were seen by the world, we decided that we were "bad" too.

It was complicated. I wanted to fight for mutant rights, but I didn't know how far I'd go with it. I didn't want to kill or hurt people. But it was expected of me to join the Brotherhood now that my powers were manageable and stopped developing. Getting lots of peer pressure to join the "family" business didn't help either or the fact that I never had someone to teach me right from wrong.

I shook my head. It was my birthday, my sweet sixteen and I didn't want to spend it worrying about my future. Party hard today, worry later.

"So," I picked up a small crown with words that said "Birthday Princess" on it. "Is this really necessary?"

"I can still let Toad in…"

I thrust the corny crown onto my head and said in a high imitation of the preppy human girls we made fun of at the mall "Like, oh my go-od! I'm like a princess!"

We collapsed into a heap of giggling teenage girls. Once we caught our breath, I asked. "So what did my best buddy come up with for us to do today?"

"Well my bestest buddy, you'll just have to wait and see. But I'll give you a hint," She motioned me to come closer to her. "We're breaking you out and I'm stealing Pietro's car for our binge. Sounds like fun?"

I opened my mouth to agree, but then shut it. "Uh, it does sound great Wanda, but you know Creed won't let me out. He lets me out like once a week and he always sends a bodyguard. Sorry."

Victor Creed had become more and more paranoid since I was fourteen. At first I thought it was because of my powers fluctuating and the trouble I was having controlling my telepathic powers, but now I think he's worried about something else. Someone getting me-

Nope, stop those thoughts Aly girl. I told myself sternly. Its your birthday and he's going to just suck it up.

Hopefully he won't kill me for it…

xXx

I'm not sure if it was birthday luck that called Creed away from the house or if I had a guardian angel. Either way, my day started to look better when I seemed to have a chance to actually _doing _something. The other Brotherhood members also were out, so I had only one obstacle left in my path…

"Pietro, _please_." I begged. Wanda and me had tried to make a run for the door without him noticing us, but its hard to out race someone with superspeed. He now stood in front of it with a smug look on his face.

"I don't think father or Sabretooth would be too happy for you to go out, you know the rules." He was still the same bully that he was when we were kids, just now he had superpowers to make it worse.

" 'Tro please just grow up for one minute and let us out." Wanda crossed her arms and glared at her brother.

Pietro scratched his chin in mock thought, "Um, no. I don't think I will."

_*Wanda, how much would you mind if I used my powers to make him believe he is a cheerleader for the rest of his pathetic life?* _I sent the thought using my powers to Wanda.

_*Oh, he deserves it and I'm sure it'd be hilarious for us to watch him, but father might get a little pissy.*_ She thought back

"Hey guys, what's going on?" Jamie came up to us, eating an apple. He leaned coolly on the wall and gave us a mildly interested look.

I felt Wanda's excitement when he entered the room. Jamie, or Multiple Man, was the newest member to the Brotherhood. He was a year older than us and a friend of Pietro.

"Jamie! Maybe you can talk some sense into my moron brother." Wanda exclaimed. "Alanta just turned sixteen today and mister stick-up-his-ass won't let us out to celebrate."

"Oh, happy birthday Al." He grinned at me then turned to work on his friend. "Come on Petey, just let the girls go have fun."

"No, they need bodyguards." Pietro answered stubbornly.

_*Seriously?* _Jamie looked over at me with a smirk, and sent the thought so that my telepathic powers would pick it up. *_Wanda's the freak'n Scarlet Witch and you're like the most powerful psychic ever. Why would you two need protection?*_

_*We don't. Pietro's just being a dick. Can you help us? I'd rather not have to go into his head if I can help it.*_

_*I'll try*_

"You're totally right Petey." Jamie told his friend, slapping him on the shoulder. My jaw dropped, what a jerk! "These young ladies need protection."

"The hell we do!" I snarled.

"So why don'twe offer it? We can hang with them so they can have fun, but we'll also be there if anything goes wrong." Jamie continued. "So what do you say buddy? Up for it?"

Pietro exhaled deeply before answering. "Okay fine, but I'm driving. Just let me go get my walet."

Once Pietro left the room, Wanda ran over to Jamie and kissed his cheek. "You are amazing! Come on Al!"

She then grabbed me and pulled me towards the car.

_*Making excuses to snog him much?* _I thought, rolling my eyes at my friend.

_*You're just a mere sixteen year old* _Wanda thought back, sniffing at the maturity of being eighteen. _*You wouldn't understand*_

We both laughed until we saw Toad come out with Jamie and Pietro. Our faces turned from victorious to outraged as Toad lept into the backseat of the car with us.

"What's he doing here!" Wanda yelled, pushing away Toad's arm as he tried to drape it over her shoulder.

"Well, its either let old Toad come with you guys or I'm calling Sabretooth and stopping this joy ride now." Toad smiled, showing his disgusting green teeth.

Wanda and I glared at the boys.

"Hey, we didn't tell him! He was spying on us." Jamie defended.

"No way! I'm finally getting out of this house and I'm not taking Toad with us!" I snarled.

"Well actually sweetheart, you are." Toad leaned on me to explain. "Because if I don't go-"

"Then I'm still going!" I used my telekinetic powers to pick up Toad and throw him out of the car. "You can't tell if you can't remember!"

Closing my eyes, I focused on Toad's gross mind. Wading through his thoughts of girls who were way out of his league, meals, bugs and actual frogs that were still out of his league, I found the memory of hearing us and took it away.

Toad's face suddenly went blank.

*_Go take a long shower Toad.* _I told him, using my mutant power to reinforce the command. _*And don't come out until we're back*_

With that Toad hopped back inside the house and proceeded up the stairs. Everyone looked at me in awe and fear.

"Okay, lets go." I smile cockily at the group. Yeah, what I did was awful but I didn't care. Well, I sort of did. But it was my first day of freedom in a long time and I wasn't going to have it wasted by a disgusting pervert.

"You're one scary chick, you know that?" Jamie told me as the boys piled into the car.

"Nah, Wildcat just knows how to handle people." Wanda slugged my arm playfully, giving me a weak smile.

I smiled back then looked out the window as Pietro started to drive. For the next half hour of driving I had to focus my power on blocking all the fear that was coming from my companions.


	7. Chapter 7

_* The X-men and their world belongs to Marvel._

"I'm starving." Jamie complained from the front seat of the car.

We had been driving for hours now and I still had no idea where we were going. Wanda kept very tight lipped (only about the surprise though) and if it weren't for the road signs I wouldn't even know what state we were in. I was currently trying to figure out what her surprise could be that would be in New York.

I looked away from the car window to Jamie.

"Me too. Any chance you girls brought along something?" Pietro called back to us.

Wanda routed through her designer bag, "Uh, I got a tic-tac. But only one."

"Dibs!" Both boys yelled at the same time. They glared at each other, ready to fight to the death over the candy.

"Um, guys? Why don't we stop for _real _food instead of you guys killing each other over a two calorie candy." I leaned up in between their seats and glared at the two of them. "Look, there's a mall up ahead and I bet it has a food court. We can stop there and refuel."

"But we're all ready behind schedule! I want you to see your surprise while its still your birthday." Wanda pouted. "It won't be too much longer, and the guys can eat when we get there."

The guys groaned at the suggestion, and gave us looks like they were starving puppies. I myself wasn't hungry, but-

Okay, it was really weird but I felt like I needed to get into that mall. I'm not big on crowds, mainly because I've never had the chance to get used to them because of Creed, and this mall was sure to be packed on a Saturday afternoon. I didn't even want to just get out any where to stretch my legs. I just felt a very strong urge to go there, like I needed to be there.

_Okay Alanta, you've really been locked up in this car too long. _I told myself before turning to Wanda.

"Come on Wanda! I'm really hungry too." I lied. "Plus we can look around for a bit to find something to go with my tiara." I pointed up at the "Birthday Princess" crown that Wanda was still making me wear.

"Please?" I asked trying the guy's sad puppy face.

"Yeah Wanda," Jamie started, then Pietro joined in.

"Please?" We begged in harmony.

"Alright _fine_." Wanda huffed. "But this better not take too long."

Once we had found the food court, Wanda insisted on getting my "birthday meal", which of course had to be a surprise. She sent my to snag the four of us a table as she dragged the boys off to get the food. I found us a spot at the ledge of the second story level of the mall. We could look over the ledge to watch shoppers and the beautiful fountain arrangement.

Now that we were in the mall, the pulling urge to be here was replaced by one of excitement and comfortableness. It was hard to explain, almost like I was comfortable because I knew I had to be here but that I was excited for something.

Totally weird…

"Don't look yet!" I turned at the sound of Wanda's voice but my eyes were soon covered so I could see.

"Okay, let her see Jamie!" Wanda practically squealed as she set an ice cream cake in front of me with candles in it. I looked up in shock as eight Jamie's burst into a round of "Happy Birthday". I blushed and put my head down as the entire food court watched us.

"-rthday, to-oo yo-ou!" The choir of Jamie's finished, soon to be applauded by the food court customers and staff.

"Thanks guys." I thanked, my face still red. I lowered my voice to say. "Seriously guys, this was really sweet, but you really shouldn't use your powers so open like this."

Wanda started to hand out pieces of cake and waved away my concerns. "Lighten up Wildcat, no one suspected anything. Besides, we needed more people to help finish off the cake."

"Yeah, you're giving these sapiens way too much credit. They're so stupid." Pietro said boorishly.

"Pietro!" I hissed, looking around to make sure no one heard.

Growing up with the Brotherhood and Magneto, I learned how much some mutants hated humans and thought they were superior to them. I didn't say my opinions on the matter out loud, mainly because I was so confused about them. I hated how most humans hated, hurt, and feared us just because we had an active X gene. I did think mutants were a little superior, I mean, evolution wise. But I didn't want to rule over humans or agree with half the stuff Magneto says, mostly because I don't like how he plans on achieving us ruling.

"Excuse me," A group of elderly women had come up to our table and were smiling at the Jamie's. One with glasses and curly white hair spoke to one of Jamie's multiples.

"but we couldn't help hearing your lovely singing voices and we were wondering, are you boys all related? You look and sound so much the same…"

"We're the Orlando Octuplets actually." The Jamie duplicate lied, smiling at the older woman.

"See Ethel, I told you they were octuplets!" The lady said to one of her friends before turning back to the Jamie. "Well, any way, I was just wondering if you boys would like to perform at our banquet we're holding in June?"

I watched Pietro barely hold back his laughter as one Jamie said. "We'd love to! Here just go to this website," He scribbled down an address on a napkin and handed it to the lady. "and book us."

"Oh, thank you!" The lady beamed at us. "Its nice to finally meet some young men with manners."

Once the lady's were gone the boys burst into laughter.

"You guys are awful." Wanda smirked. " 'Orlando Octuplets', as if!"

I looked away from my immature friends and down at the first level. At first I wasn't really paying attention to any certain people, just watching the crowd, until my telepathic powers picked up something out of the ordinary. I focus on a boy who was sitting on the fountain side, holding his head.

"Hey Al, find someone cute?" Wanda asked when she saw where I was looking. She leaned over me to get a better look. "Hm, _he _doesn't seem very special."

"He's a mutant Wanda." I said.

Now the boys were looking at the boy too. The teenage boy was now fidgeting a lot, making the people close to him move away, but he continued to hold his head.

"Any idea what he can do?" Pietro asked, interested now that he knew the boy wasn't just some "sapien".

"No, but I can find out." I grinned and closed my eyes, focusing on the boy's mind.

It was eay to enter his mind, but not so pleasant once I was inside. I felt his agony as if it was my own and how scared he was.

"He didn't know he was a mutant." I muttered to my friends with my eyes still closed. I dug in a little deeper…

"Oh crap!" My eyes flew open and I sprung up from my chair.

"What? What is it?" Wanda gave me a scared look, wondering if I had lost my mind.

"You guys get these people out of here, now!" I commanded my friends.

"What's going on?" Pietro glared at me, demanding an answer.

"Listen all you need to know is a lot of people are going to be hurt by this guy if you don't get them out of here _now_! I'm going down there to try and stop it-" I said before jumping over the edge and flying down to the first level.

"Listen, everyone has to get out of here!" I yelled to the people, but no one paid any attention. Closing my eyes, I sent out a telepathic command telling the same thing. A few people had confused looks on their faces and started to walk away from the area, but not enough.

The only way I was going to stop this was by stopping this boy…

xXx

"Scott, Scott?" Hank McCoy shook his friend slightly to get his attention. He seemed to be doing that a lot, every since Jean passed away. Scott really wasn't the same man he used to be, the X-men's fearless leader was now a distant detached shell, not that Hank blamed him. Though Scott had lost his wife nearly a year ago now, he was barely closer to moving on.

"Hm? What is it Hank?" Scott asked, finally realizing his friend was talking to him.

"Kitty and Bobby are nearly done, we should go start the jet." Hank said. They had come to the mall today so that their students could buy supplies for their up coming dance. Hank really could have looked after the two by himself, but when Scott asked to come he leapt at the opportunity. Scott hardly ever left the mansion now, but surely this was a good sign that he was doing better. When Hank asked him why he wanted to come, Scott answered, "It just feels right."

"Okay, I'll-" Scott stopped talking suddenly. "Hank, did you see that?"

"No, what?" Hank asked, a little concerned.

"Her, she-" Scott jumped to his feet and was about to say more when great crack split through the air. Suddenly the Earth opened up, making people fall into the great crater that was now forming in the middle of the mall.

"Professor!" Hank turned around and watched helplessly as Kitty fell along with many others into the crater.

"Kitty!" Bobby turned into a pure ice form then produced an ice ramp in front of him. By doing this he was able to go down in the crater and grab Kitty, along with some other victims.

"Kids, get as many people as you can to safety!" Hank yelled to them. "Scott-"

"You help them, I'll go to the source. And look out for Bobby and Kitty." Scott said briefly before running towards the middle of the mall where the fountain still stood.

Scott was now standing at the edge of a moat, on the other side was a boy that seemed to be composed of rock. The poor boy was obviously freaking out, making the shaking worse which caused more craters and cracks to be made. A girl with fiery short red hair was yanking on the panicking boy's arm, trying to get him to look at her.

Scott backed up a bit, then took a flying leap to reach the other side. He would have made it if the ground hadn't shaken again, messing up his jump. He grabbed the edge before he fell. He could now hear the girl talking, her back was still to him.

"Listen, I can help you but you have to let me- oh crap." She glance briefly at Scott then turned back to the boy. With one hand pointed at him, she raised her hand and Scott found himself flying to safety on the ground. "Come on, I can-"

"I'll take over from here." Scott said, putting a hand on the teenage girl's shoulder then turning to the boy. "Listen, I'm a mutant too, and I can help-"

"No! I'm not a mutant! I'm not doing this!" The boy screamed and suddenly the trembling got even worse.

For the first time the girl looked fully at Scott, and when he saw her he almost fainted.

"Jean?" He asked, his mouth suddenly dry.

She gave him an odd look, "Uh no, and next time you try to boss everyone around, why don't you actually do the world a favor and don't. Now listen kid, you're going to kill a lot more people if you don't let me help you."

Scott grabbed the girl's shoulder and made her face him. "Who are you?"

"Don't touch me! Are you insane? I'm not this Jean person, alright?" The girl shook of his hand.

There was hardly anything left of the mall now, just a crater with the small island that they were standing on left. The boy was no where near calming down and the island was starting to break apart. Seeing this, the girl looked at Scott.

"You're a mutant too, right?" He nodded. "Okay, you do whatever you can to keep us alive for a few minutes, okay?"

With that she closed her eyes and put her forehead to the mutant boy's. She grimaced a lot and grinded her teeth as she tried to use power that she didn't have to calm the boy down. Her nose had now started to bleed and the two teens were on their knees, their connection still unbroken. Slowly the shakes started to cease, then stop completely.

The girl fell away from the unconscious boy and nearly rolled off the island and into the crater, but Scott grabbed her before she could fall. He pulled her up and leaned her in his arms, propping up her head. From the other side of gigantic crater stood three kids, looks of rage and fear on their young faces.

That white haired kids, Scott thought, he looks like-

His attention was brought back to the teenage girl in his arms when she took a shuddering breath and opened her eyes before going unconscious. He almost fainted himself when he saw his own blue eyes on the face of this girl, especially since it was the face of a young Jean Grey.


	8. Chapter 8

_* The X-men and their world belongs to Marvel._

I drifted in and out of conciseness. When I was conscious, my mind felt like it was on fire and my vision was blurry.

I remember sounds of sirens and screaming…

I remember being brought onto some kind of plane, I was being carried by that guy with the shades…

I remember being on some medical examining table with a furry blue guy standing over me, again with that guy with red glasses. That was the only time I was mostly aware, I was even able to make out what they were saying, but it made little sense.

"_So, who is she?" Shades asked, practically shaking the blue man with hysteria. "I know that she can't be…her. But, I mean, just __**look **__at her, Hank! How could she not be?"_

"_Scott, its been nearly sixteen years." The blue man, Hank said gently. "This has to just be a strange coincidence…"_

_Hank sighed when the other man, Scott I guess, didn't answer._

"_I can't do proper tests until we get back to the mansion Scott." The blue man said, adjusting his glasses. "But we'll be arriving soon. And Scott? If, if you need anything just remember I'm here."_

"_Thanks Hank, I appreciate this." I heard Scott say before hearing footsteps walk away. _

_My eyes were completely closed now but before I went under again, I felt a manly hand wrap around my still one._

xXx

"What do you mean?" Erik Lehnsherr(Magneto) asked, struggling to keep his voice even and his temper under control. He continued to not look at his son, just stared out the window.

Jamie Madrox was leaning up against the door from, watching without expression as his friend tried to explain what had happened that afternoon. Some of the Brotherhood members were sitting around the room, some trying to hide their shock while others showed anger about what had happened. Wanda was crying on the couch quietly, her face in her hands.

"I-I'm sorry." Pietro never used his pompous bullying voice with his father. He even stuttered a little while explaining what happened at the mall. Some might think that Pietro was scared of his father, as most were, but it was just the fear of Magneto not being proud of or loving him that made Quicksilver act this way. "The X-men were there and there was nothing we could-"

"Don't give me that! You can always do something!" Sabretooth roared grabbing Quicksilver by the throat and lifting him off the ground. The others were surprised that Creed had not hurt someone before this.

"S-sir," Peitro stuttered, trying to look at his father. Magneto did nothing. "Please, sir,"

Wanda was crying harder and now some of the braver Brotherhood members were coming forward to help the suffocating boy.

"F-father!" Peitro cried out, reaching out with a shaking hand.

"Let him go Victor." Magneto said quietly.

Sabretooth didn't comply, his eyes full of range and… sadness?

"Victor!" Magneto now turned around and some of the Brotherhood members pulled Creed away. Once he was restrained (but only just), Magneto came up to him.

"I know, Victor, I know." Was all he said. Creed glared at Magneto, and the others in the room thought he was going to attack his boss now. But he didn't. He just stormed out of the room, shoving Jamie out of his way, and left the building.

Magneto sighed and turned back to the window. "Go after him, make sure he doesn't go after her."

"So we're just going to let those X-men have her? I thought after what Jean became-" Blob started before his companions silenced him with a look.

"We can't just walk in and take her from the X-men. We'll wait." Was all Magneto said.

xXx

"Oh…ow." I moaned, rolling over and pulled my blanket closer around me. I felt like total shit. I ached all over, especially my head. And Creed was probably going to come knocking on my door to get me for a work out any second now.

I heard footsteps and murmured, "Yeah, yeah, I'll be up in a second."

I sat up in my bed a winced as the room spun. Just like Creed to make me do his death drills after what happened yesterday.

Wait, what did happen yesterday? I looked around me, having no clue where I was. I was used to being a little confused in the morning, not remembering that I was just in my bed room because we moved place to place a lot. But this place, it looked like some kind of hospital.

I now saw different wires attaching my to different machines.

Oh crap, did I get in a car accident? Are the others okay?

I quickly ripped off the wires and silently jumped out of the medical bed. Using the stealth skills Sabretooth drilled into my head over the years, I crept about the empty room and out into the hall.

I sensed two beings in a small lab to my right. I went right up against the wall and didn't move. I didn't sense hostility from the two, but they were giving off very strong and strange feelings. Excitement, amazement, joyfulness…

The strength of their emotions and what emotions the two were feeling made me curious.

I tried to tell myself that I was just doing the smart, brave thing by listening in on the two strangers, to figure out what was going on. But truthfully, I really was just curious. Wanda was always teasing me about how "curiosity killed the Wildcat".

I leaned in closer to the door.

"Wow-just-wow." I heard a vaguely familiar voice say, then it sounded like someone sitting down. "I-I knew, as soon as- well, those eyes, how could she be anyone but-wow."

"This must be a complete shock for you Scott." I heard another male voice say.

Scott…I was starting to remember now…

"I-it really is. But how can this be? This is impossible, isn't it? I mean, its been years, we all thought…"

Suddenly I sensed a shift in emotion, one of the men seemed very afraid now.

"But how am I going to do this? Jean- Jean's gone. I don't think I can do this Hank." Scott admitted. The more I listened the less I understood. Jean…I know I've heard that name before…

"What? Of course you can do this! Scott, you-" Suddenly Hank stopped talking and took a few sniffs. "It seems that our girl is up and about."

I felt my heart leap into my throat, time to go!

I made a run for it down the hallway, from behind me I heard footsteps.

"Alanta! Wait!" Scott called.

I almost skidded to a halt when I heard him call my name. How did he know my name and why does him saying it sound so familiar? Ignoring his calls, I ran faster. Eventually, I came to an elevator which I dove into. The doors closed as Scott and Hank rounded the corner.

Once in the elevator, I slid down the wall and brought my knees up to my chest. This was all so confusing and, not that I'd admit it to anyone, _scared_. I had no idea what was going on and my head felt like it was on fire again, making it even harder to think.

I only had a minute to rest. The elevator quickly made its way up to the roof, a place I was sure to be the easiest to make my escape.

Too bad things aren't ever as easy as they seem…


	9. Chapter 9

_* The X-men and their world belongs to Marvel._

_Please review!_

Throwing open the door to the roof, I bolted out of it and didn't bother to lock or block it behind me. Why would I? I thought I was going to be up in the air and out of their reach before they even got to the door.

Seeing a group of kids around my age, staring at me, and standing in the spot I was going to jump off the roof, altered my plans.

I skidded to a halt, but wasn't able to stop myself before I slid into a woman's tall black boots. I looked up to see the beautiful face of a woman, with starling blue eyes, smooth clear black skin and long wavy white hair. She was one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen, or ran into. She looked back down at me in surprise as the teenagers around her started muttering to each other.

"Jean?" She asked, pure shock on her face.

_Why do people keep saying that? _I wondered,_ Who the hell is "Jean" and why do I keep getting mistaken for her?_

I heard footsteps and looked behind me to see Scott and that blue guy run through the door. I quickly got to my feet, ignoring the stinging feeling on my knees from my skid. I actually managed to rip my jeans, and my knee cap skin.

"Scott, Hank?" The beautiful woman asked the two men.

_Is this how she greets all people? Guessing their names?_

"So this is her?" A blonde man with a rich Irish accent asked, stepping forward from the teenagers. "With a face like that, I'd know tha lass any where. Hello pumpkin."

He smiled friendly at me, but I did not return it. Sorry if that's rude, but I'm usually not my best when I wake up in a strange place, hear strange things, be chased by strange people, then hear more strange things from strange people. It really throws me off.

The white haired woman went over to the two new men.

"So it is true, isn't it? The results came back positive?" She asked, her voice very quiet. Both men nodded, and she reacted by covering her mouth in shock.

_Okay, this is crazy and I don't want any part of this_, I decided.

I backed away, then made a sprint towards the roof edge without people near it. I heard gasps behind me, then turned to see the adults of the group close behind me.

"Alanta listen to me," Scott begged, holding his hands out to me. "I know this is all really scary, and that you're confused. But I can-"

"How do you know my name?" I demanded, cutting him off. "Why am I here?"

"Alanta, this is the Xavier Institute for Gifted Children; you're safe." Hank said calmly.

_Okay, didn't answer my questions, but I was going to ask that later on so whatever._

"Safe? Seriously? You people took me away to this place, hooked me up to a bunch of machines, then chased me! Call me paranoid but this doesn't really qualify as safe in my books." I replied sarcastically. "Can you answer my questions?"

No one answered, but they all looked like they had something to say.

"Okay, I'm taking that as a no and getting out of here, bu-bye!" With that I leapt off the building roof. It was about a story later that I realized that I couldn't fly. When I tried to activate my powers that usually allowed me to do so, I felt a searing pain. It was so bad that I nearly went unconscious once more.

_Well, now I feel stupid._ I thought as I fell to my doom.

Suddenly, I felt a quick yank upwards. I felt arms around me and strong gushes of wind. I looked to see the beautiful woman holding me, then up to see faces looking down at us. A few of the teenagers who were on the roof awhile ago were now around us.

"Who is she, Ms. Monroe? She looks so much like Professor Jean." A girl with lots of freckles flew beside us, looking at me with interest.

_There's that name again…_

"Hera, I told you to stay on the roof!" Ms. Monroe scolded the girl.

"We thought she needed help," A boy with hair like a skunk's replied. "So what is she? A clone? A robot? A-"

"All of you get back up to the roof, now!" Monroe commanded, in the distance thunder roared. The students paled and quickly did as they were bided.

When we reached the roof once more, Monroe set me down. That Scott guy came up to me, but I hurried away. He actually looked _hurt_. What is with this guy? With all of this? Now I'm being accused of being a clone or robot of this Jean chick? What the hell is going on?

Despite my fear and confusion, I kept a straight face. Creed always told me to hide my emotions, because they gave my enemies the upper hand. At first I thought he was crazy because I didn't have any enemies and Creed was the first one to show angry or annoyance. But that was the best/only advice I had at the moment.

"Okay, so, you got me." I said simply. I crossed my arms and glared. "Now what? Because I think its only fair to warn you that I'm trained in hand to hand combat, and I'm pretty damn good. So come on!"

I took a fighting stance Creed taught me and waited for their advancements, but they never came.

Then the door to the roof opened again and a muscled man with strangely styled black hair entered onto the roof. He had a cigar in his mouth as he came closer to the group of adults.

"Chuck said you guys were having some trouble with some student, thought I'd come up and-" The man stopped talking abruptly, his cigar fell from his mouth as he opened it in shock. "Jean?"

"Okay, that's it! Why the hell do you people keep saying that? Who is Jean?" I demanded.

"Summers, what's going on?" The new man growled at Scott, raising an eyebrow. "Is she a clone or something?"

"I'll explain later Logan. Just go, we don't need your help." Scott never took his eyes off me.

"How about you explain _now_!" I was practically having a mental breakdown by now.

"Jea- Alanta," Hank corrected himself. "We can explain everything to you, but maybe this isn't the best place."

"I'm not going anywhere until I get answers." I replied, raising my chin stubbornly.

That simple gesture made the adults look at me with even more shock. Finally, Monroe regained her voice and looked over at the students who were watching us with intense interest. They had been quiet for awhile now, either because they were shocked or they didn't want to remind the adults they were here.

"Class is dismissed, make sure each of you write in your progress journals, I'll be checking them at the end of the week." Monroe told her class. They only hesitated for a moment, until a flash of lightning lit up the sky. They all went over to the ledge and were about to dive off when Ms. Monroe called. "Take the stairs unless you want to be spending the next month on kitchen and washroom duty."

One the roof was cleared of the teenagers, all attention was back on me.

"Okay Alanta, what do you want to know?" Hank asked me calmly.

Before I answered, I noticed that Scott had an odd look on his face as he stared at me. Like, they were all giving me a weird look, but his was a different kind of weird.

"Er," My confidence was wavering due to the looks I was getting. "Why am I here?"

"After the incident at the mall, you were drained of most of your psychic energy. The result put you in a mild coma, so that it could restore your supply. It isn't unheard of, it happens to many with psychic abilities, so we knew the possible dangers. We brought here to give you medical attention, monitor your neural activity and your energy level to avoid brain damage." Hank explained.

I digested this, knowing that I shouldn't believe him.

"What about my friends, are they here?" I asked suspiciously.

"Gregory LeKerm was sent to a special facility on Miri Island. His powers were too strong for him to handle, but there are many specialist there that will help him control his mutant abilities." Hank said.

"Gregory LeKerm? I don't even know who that- oh, the kid from the mall. Well, okay, great that he's getting help. But what about my friends? They were mutants, a girl and two boys."

Hank shook his head, "I'm sorry my dear, we didn't see anyone else with you or come after you when we carried you out."

I stole a quick glance at Scott, the only other person there. Was this true? Would they really abandon me like that? Wanda was my best friend, and Jamie and I were growing closer. Even Pietro wouldn't just let me be taken, Creed and Magneto would blame him for my abduction.

"Um, well thanks for the medical care. So, can I go home now?" I asked.

Hank and Scott shared a look. "Well, if you're stable I guess we can't keep you here against your will. Just come with us back down to the MedBay so I can give you a final examination before we take you home."

"Er, no, I think I'd rather just leave now thanks." I said. "What you've told me so far, you've helped me and that other kid Gregory, but the problem is you could just be lying. How can I trust you? As soon as I let my guard down you guys could drug me and lock me up."

"We're the X-men, of course you can trust us!" The Irish man said, sounding a little shocked that I doubted them.

_X-men? Oh crap!_

Since Creed never let me leave the house, I never met the famed "heroes" before, but I've heard a lot about them. They claimed to help mutants, but they'll just as likely to go to the human's side. They fight their own kind to help humans, pretending to always be so noble. At least, that's what I heard from the Brotherhood members.

Though they aren't really the heroes they claim they are, I've never heard about them hurting or capturing people before.

"Alanta, this is the safest place for mutants, especially young ones such as yourself." Monroe, I guess she was the one the Brotherhood called Storm, based on her appearance and powers, told me kindly. "We offer a place at this school for any mutant, if you'd like to stay."

"Of course she has to stay! She's Jean and Scott's-" Storm kicked the Irish man in the leg and Hank quickly covered his mouth.

"I promise you, we aren't going to hurt you." Scott came closer to me. He made an odd movement, almost reaching out his hand to touch my face but quickly withdrew it back.

I tried to meet his eyes through his red glasses visor, what game was this guy playing.

Hank had let the blonde man go and came over to us. "The examination won't take too long, then we promise to help you get back home if you still wish to leave."

"Alright, but I'm defiantly going home." I told him sternly, giving him a look that suggested a warning if they tried to hold me against my will.

Hank gave me a little nod of the head, as if he understood. He then held out a blue furry hand with claws. "I don't think we've been properly introduced, I am Dr. Hank McCoy, but I am also called Beast."

I accepted his paw, I mean hand.

"I'm Alanta, just Alanta. But some of my- friends, call me Wildcat." I've never had a last name, guess it comes with not having a family. I used to want to take Sabretooth's last name to become Alanta Creed, but it never felt right. Neither did all the other last names I've thought of. So I just stay with Alanta and occasionally my codename Wildcat.

" 'Just Alanta', hmm interesting…" Hank McCoy looked over to Scott, but he was facing downwards, hiding his face. "Well, if you'd like to come with me, Miss Alanta."

He offered a large blue furred arm to me. Living with the Brotherhood, this hasn't ever happened to me before, but luckily I've seen enough corny movies to know how I was supposed to accept his arm (though I still found it weird, in a classy sort of way). He led me back to the door, chatting friendly as we went.

From behind me, I heard that Logan guy speak. I remember Creed talking about a Logan, Wolverine, from the X-men a lot. He never told me why he had such a problem with this guy, but he told me all about their fights. Though he'd never admit it, it sounded like the Wolverine was just as good as the Sabretooth.

"Care to tell me what's going on now Summer?" Logan growled. "Who is this kid and why does she look like Jean?"

"No." Scott replied through clenched teeth.

"So are you really just going to let her leave? Really Scott, this is a miracle! You can't just let her walk back out of your life." An Irish voice insisted.

"If she wants to leave, how am I supposed to stop her? She said that she has a home…" Scott mused.

"Yes, but she also said that she didn't have a last name." The Irish man reasoned.

"Scott, I'm sure if you just tell her the truth…" Storm said gently. "I think she needs you just as much as you need her. She belongs here Scott."

"I-I really don't think I-" Scott sighed, his voice changing from insecure to emotionless. "I'll get the professor, he should do a psychic scan to make sure her powers were unaffected."

With that he went after Hank.

"So," The Irish man said. "Anyone want to take bets on how Emma is going to react to this?"


	10. Chapter 10

_Wow, who knew you're life could change so much in such a short time. _I thought, still stunned at the events of this afternoon. I sighed and unlocked the door to my new room. This was all so surreal, it couldn't be possible, they must be lying…but they have so much proof.

Once inside the room, I went quickly over to the window and sat down, this was my first chance just _think _since they told me.

_Two hours ago_

"_Hmm," Hank McCoy mused, looking over my results. I waited patiently on the examination table and tried to ignore Scott, Sean Cassidy and Professor Xavier's stares. I don't know what their problems were, but they hardly looked away from me during the whole time I was in their MedBay. It was weird._

"_So, er, did I pass?" I asked. It was always hard to use manners around people when not long ago you thought they were trying to kill you or something. Then again, growing up with the Brotherhood I never did learn very many manners._

_Oops, better watch my thoughts around the mind reader, I thought hastily glancing at Charles Xavier. I knew he was, like, the most powerful telepath on the planet, but I was still trying to use my powers to hide anything to do with the Brotherhood in my mind. I knew about their frequent clashes with the X-Men, and I didn't want them to know that I was affiliated with the 'bad guys'. I didn't know if I could do it though, I mean, Magneto was always going on about how much power I had but still, this was freak'n Charles Xavier! _

"_You stats seem to be normaling quickly, but you've still got a way to go. You're past the danger, but you should take it very easy with your abilities for the next couple of days." Dr. McCoy told me._

"_And from what I can see while you're blocking me, your psychic powers are the same." Professor Xavier told me, smiling._

_I ducked my head, a little embarrassed. I didn't want this guy to know everything in my mind, but I didn't want him to know that I was trying to block him. It would seem like I was hiding something._

"_So take two aspirin and call you in the morning?" I joked, hopping off the examining table. "Great, so I cane go home now?"_

_Dr. McCoy and Professor Xavier exchanged looks before glancing at Scott. _

"_Er, I think we need to have a talk before you decide if you want to leave." Professor Xavier said, wheeling closer to me. _

"_What? You said I could go once I let you run your stupid tests!" I said, backing away. I knew I never should have trusted these guys!_

"_Alanta, we won't keep you here against your will but we'd appreciate it if you'd discus an important matter with us." Professor Xavier said calmly, his intense blue eyes meeting mine._

_I sighed, exasperated. "Seriously, I don't want to go to your school. Like, great that mutants have a safe place here and all, but I don't need this place like some do. So thanks, but no thanks."_

_I started to walk towards the door, testing to see if they would give the chase again. I'm pretty sure they were sharing the same strange looks they've been sharing since I woke up (I don't know these people, maybe they just do that all the time). As well, I felt Xavier's mind searching mine again, a little more forceful. Now I really put up the defenses just incase he tried to mind control me or something. _

"_Alanta, wait! Scott is your father!" Sean blurted out. I looked over at Banshee with shock and disbelief, completely stunned that he would say something like that. His companions looked over at him in annoyance, but Scott looked indifferent. His emotions were hid behind his ruby lense glasses and a stony face._

_Was this a joke? _

Even now I'm in shock, trying to figure out proof that would say they're lying or why they would lie. Hank showed me the different DNA tests he had run and rerun, even running it once more with me watching the whole time. I read each of their minds to detect a lie, but I didn't find one.

But one of the biggest pieces of evidence was a picture of my 'mother', Jean Summers. She-she looked so much like me, just older. I had taken the picture they showed me with me, and now I pulled it out to wonder at it some more. I sat down on the carpeted floor and marveled at the strange treasure.

It was of her sitting on a white swing hanging from a large oak tree in a magnificent garden. It the picture she was pumping her legs to swing higher while laughing and smiling at the camera. She had a really amazing smile, like every happy feeling inside of her was put into it and could make others feel her joy. We had the same face shape and light skin tone, and I could defiantly see a resemblance for our noses. Her fiery red hair blew softly behind her, catching sunlight in her locks. I ran a hand through my own hair, marveling at how we had the exact same hair, just differently kept. While hers was long, wavy and hung down her back, mine was very short and punkish.

We could be twins if not for my eyes.

They told me that I had Scott's eyes. They said they couldn't prove it because of his mutation, but that they swore that's where I got them from. Other than Banshee saying that Scott was my father and about my eyes, they didn't really mention more about our relation. They focused their argument more on Jean than Scott when he showed no interest in convincing me.

_What a dick! _I thought angrily_. So I'm his long lost daughter, apparently returned from the dead, but he acts so indifferent to me! He doesn't say I have to leave but neither did he try to convince me to stay. And why should I stay here! Who cares if I finally found out who my parents are if one of them is dead and the other doesn't want me!_

_Yeah moron, _I mentally kicked myself_, so why am I staying?_

I heard a door open, interrupting my confused thoughts.

"What!" I growled, turning around.

"Um, this is mah room?" The girl who had just entered the room answered, giving me an odd look. "So Ah just assume Ah'm allowed in here. Who are yah?"

_Oh yeah, Hank mentioned that I would have a roommate, maybe two, _I thought sheepishly.

"Oh mah God, Jea-" The girl gasped and started to say in her Southern accent.

"No," I interrupted, "I'm not Jean."

I remembered that I was going to have to share a room with this girl so I should try to be nicer to her. I gathered my thoughts and offered her my hand. "My name is Alanta, I'm new here. Um, I guess we're roomies."

The girl stared at my hand, not taking it for sometime.

"Um, I'm not a clone or robot to Jean Summers, by the way." I thought I should add. This school is so weird.

"Oh, Ah'm sorry, didn't mean to leave you hanging there." The girl apologized, giving a sheepish grin. She adjusted her gloves and inspected them before taking my offered hand. "Ah'm Rogue, welcome to the circus we call a school."

Rogue looked to be the same age as me. She had shoulder length, chestnut brown hair with pure white bangs and locks framing her oval shaped face. She was paler then me, which was saying something. Her hazel eyes were more green then brown and were under long lashes. She was dressed sort of like some punk, so I wasn't sure if she wore those gloves as a theme or something.

"Er," Rogue scratched her neck, not sure what to say. "Um, sorry about before, calling yah Jean. Yah, yah just look a lot like her."

"Its alright, I've been getting that since I've come here." I said shrugging.

"She was one of our teachers, and she died recently." Rogue explained. "She was really good to all of us, great teacher too. She, like, really understood us, yah know? Ah mean, all our teachers are mutants, but she really got what its like to not control yahr powers. She took the time ta help us, ta listen ta us-"

Rogue blushed, "Sorry, Ah guess you look so much like her that Ah forgot that yahr not her. Ah didn't mean to babble off yahr ear like that."

"Its alright. Actually, I want to know more about her." I said. I sat down on the bed with plain white sheets and looked up at her.

"Er, alright." Rogue said uncertainly, as if she was beginning to think I was Jean's clone again. "Well, she was-"

"No, seriously, I am going to _kill _the next moron that comes up with some stupid Twilight joke within my hearing distance!" I heard a girl's voice snarl. I turned toward the door to see another girl enter it. She had red hair, lighter than mine, pulled back in a pony tail. She wasn't very tall but she had muscular arms for a girl her size and had this air about her that she could win any fight. She had a rich accent, I think it was Scottish.

The small girl stormed into the room and jumped onto one of the three beds, where she began beating a pillow to death.

"No-like-I'm-serious. I-am-going-to-kill-Jubilee!" The girl said in between hits. "I am going to punch her in her stupid smug face then drag her off into the bush-"

"Uh, Rahne? Before yah continue talking about murder, yah should be introduced to Alanta." Rogue waved lazy hand towards me, fighting a smile. "She's our new roommate."

"What? Oh, um, whoops." The girl stopped abusing her pillow and leapt gracefully off of the bed to me. She landed with no sound, I noticed impressed. She gave me a grin and slapped me on the shoulder. "Hi, I'm Rahne Sinclar. Don't mind my rants of murder, once you meet the complete jerks in this school you'll do the same."

"Rahne is one of the coolest gals yah can be friends with, and one of the most dangerous people to be enemies with." Rogue said. She grinned wickedly at the smaller girl before turning to me to say, "But she sucks as a roommate. She'll steal all your razors and clogs up the drain after showers."

"Still haven't decided which one you are, Rogue!" Rahne yelled before pouncing on her friend, laughing. Rogue didn't laugh along with her friend, but instead panicked. I felt a rise of emotion come over her, fear mostly, before she pushed her friend away.

"Yah've got ta be more careful around meh Rahne! I could have hurt yah!" Rogue scolded, fiddling with her glove.

"Lighten up!" Rahne said, rolling her eyes. "I was being careful and you were wearing your gloves."

"Yah should be warned Alanta, don't touch meh." Rogue said seriously. "My mutation makes mah skin…dangerous. If we have skin contact, Ah take your thoughts, memories, mutant power and energy from yah. So be careful, don't be like that moron over there."

"_I'm_ the moron?" Rahne asked, insulted.

'Yeah, yah are!"

"Bha, whatever. So what can you do, Alanta?" Rahne asked.

"I'm telepathic and telekinetic." I answered.

"Boring." Rahne replied, earning a slug in the arm from Rogue. "At least my mutation is exceptional. I can transform myself into a wolf and something part way between a wolf and human. I kick ass, in any form."

"Whatever yah say flea bag. So do yah girls want to go ta dinner now? Ah'm starving and Kurt is probably saving us a table." Rogue asked.

"Sure, just as long as I don't have to listen to that stupid firecracker and her sidekicks." Rahne growled, as she went to the closet and pulled out a sweater.

I held back. I really didn't feel ready to go and see the rest of the school. I was probably going to get a lot more "Jean?" and was going to see Scott Summers. Like, its weird enough that I decided to come to the X-Men's school, but its even stranger that I'm giving in this easily.

Rahne ran out the room door but Rogue waited in the entrance, holding open the door for me. "So yah coming Alanta?"

"Uh, sure, um-" I looked around the room and spotted a white hoodie. "But can I borrow this?"

"Sure, go ahead." Rogue gave me a curious look and followed me down the hall. I pulled the hood up to hide my face, in hopes of avoiding the probable occurrence of people looking at me in shock and gasping, 'Jean?'. Keep my head down and blend into the background, that was the plan.

It was when Rogue and I caught up to Rahne and she said, "Hey, you look really familiar, like this teacher we used to have." That I started to realize this wasn't going to work.


	11. Chapter 11

Rahne, Rogue and I had just filled our trays with food and were trying to find a spot to sit. Rahne was trying to find a spot furthest from this Jubilee girl, so she was pretty much the one who said what goes for where we sat. Too bad we seemed to come down late and there were few places to choose from.

"Rahne! Rogue! Over here!" A boy called from across the room. I couldn't see who was talking, but Rogue smiled.

"Its Kurt, Ah guess he did find a spot for us." Rogue stated before walking towards the place that the voice had sounded from.

"Great," Rahne muttered. "Just like him to save us a seat, but make it so close to the firecracker."

"Vhere haff you girls veen? I've veen looking for you all afternoon!" Kurt said in a German accent, hidden behind Rogue as she went to sit beside him.

_Dude, does anyone at this school just have an English accent? _I mused.

When Rogue was out of the way, I could see the German for the first time. Years of meeting different looking people taught me not to gasp when I saw him or show my surprise, but I was still shocked at the boy's appearance. He was thin built and had black hair, but that was about the last normal description you could come up with for him. He had dark blue skin and yellow eyes. He had slight fangs for teeth, and a pointed tail to finish it off. He had a slight resemblance to Mystique, which I found odd.

"Kurt, this is Rahne's and mah new roommate, Alanta." Rogue introduced.

Kurt smiled at me, revealing his fangs even more before offering me a three fingered hand. "Velcome Alanta! So you're the reason vhy meine friends have abandoned me this afternoon."

"Oh, belt up Kurt! I'm already brassed off at yah fer picking a seat _here_ without your idea of humor." Rahne grumbled, reaching over and snagging his Pepsi from him.

"Hey!" Kurt started to protest but gave up. He looked at me with a strange look on his face. Somewhere between realization, confusion, and shock. So much for my disguise.

I glared back at the boy till he looked down.

"I am very sorry, you just looked like someone I knew. I didn't mean to stare. I know vhat it is like to be scrutinized like I am not a human, just something to be examined." Kurt flashed me a smile. "Though someone as pretty as you, I doubt people gaze at you for the same reasons as I."

"Stop flirting with the new girl Kurt." Rahne said as she crushed the now empty popcan and chucked it at his head.

Kurt dodged the artillery and grinned at his friend mischievously. "Vhy? Are you jealous, fraulein?"

"You wish Blue Boy!" Rahne laughed.

"So Alanta, what's yahr story? How'd yah end up here?" Rogue asked, twirling a fork in her spaghetti.

"Hmm? Oh," I was jerked back to the table by Rogue's question. I had been looking around the large dinning area at the different students when I noticed one particular table. It was the most populated table and seemed to be the most 'popular'. The teens there were talking loudly to one another, laughing, and were greeted by many other students as they passed. One boy was juggling flaming rolls and whenever he dropped them or they had burned to a crisp the flame would go out. A couple of girls were doing there nails, giggling loudly. They all seemed to be really good friends and were enjoying themselves. I would have over looked if not for one boy. He was gorgeous, but that wasn't the only reason why I watched him. He was reading one of my favorite books quietly while the boys around him were being loud and obnoxious. He was so involved in the book (I could understand that, it was an amazing novel) that his friend had to punch him in the shoulder to get his attention. When he looked up, his beautiful blue eyes met mine and he raised an eyebrow in surprise of being stalked by some strange girl.

I quickly looked away to Rogue, my face colour matching my hair.

"Er, family matters." I answered, still blushing.

"Oooh, Alanta has already picked out a victim. Sorry Kurt, I guess you wasted your flirting on her." Rahne teased. I guess she saw where my gaze was directed.

"Nein, flirting is never vasted un a pretty girl." Kurt retorted.

"Whatever. But I think I should warn you lass, Peter Rasputin may not be as easy to enchant as Blue Boy. Rumor is that he 'bats for the other team', if you know what I'm saying."

"Rahne, yah don't know that!" Rogue reprimanded, rolling her eyes.

"Lets see, he's a painter, he's sensitive, and he's never dated anyone." Rahne said, ticking off her fingers. "I mean, he's nice to girls but he's never showed an interest in them and if he gets asked out he declines and avoids the girl forever! Any guy that gorgeous and still single must be."

"Maybe he's just waiting for the right one." I said accidently. I didn't mean to say it out loud! I blushed even deeper as the three stared at me. "Whatever, I was only staring at his book; it was a really good story."

"Yeah, and the one you just came up with now is too." Rahne smirked.

I rolled my eyes but said nothing. So this girl thinks I have a crush, no big deal. I'm probably not staying at this school for long (still not sure why I'm still here, actually) so none of these X-men wannabes matter. I'll be cruising back to the Brotherhood-

_Aly, Aly, Aly; you talk big but you know you can't leave. _I thought realistically. _I've always just wanted a family and though some of the Brotherhood offered me a 'sort of' family, it just wasn't ever right. Uh, maybe because my fatherhead figure kidnapped me from my real family? I can't go back there knowing what he did. And… I need to know Scott and about Jean. Hank mentioned how much they loved me, so maybe it could be the same now? I really don't know. I want a family but I'm not sure if this is the right way to go about this. Scott seems so indifferent and distant from me, why doesn't he care? Maybe he doesn't believe I'm his Alanta. I guess that makes sense, he only knew me as a baby and he thought he saw me murdered. Having my death faked and that I've just been living else where for the past sixteen years does seem a little far fetched. But, I _need _Scott. Its strange, like the feeling I felt when I had to go to the mall. Its drove me to the mall, had that strange sensation while there, and now this. Its like something's guiding me…_

_Ha, maybe Creed was right, _I mentally rolled my eyes at myself, _I think too much._

_Whoa whoa whoa! What the hell is this!_ I nearly had the milk I was drinking spurt out of my nose when I saw the weirdest sight! "Dear old daddy" had walked into the dinning area talking to some scantily clad blonde.

I slunk down in my seat and pulled my hood up closer.

"Hey guys, who's that?" I asked.

"Mmth?" Rahne looked to see where I was looking and made a face. "Ugh, just the school's psycho slut."

"That's Emma Frost, she came here ta teach after Professor Grey died. Villain turned evil teacher, used ta work for the Hellfires club or somethang." Rogue supplied. "She walks around dressed like _that_, comes up with tha most cruel an unusual punishments and she has no clue about personal privacy. She'll read yahr mind like it her own personal library."

_Wow, sounds like a real winner, _I thought as I watched Scott pull out a chair for the Frost woman at the teachers' table and pushed her in. I investigated further, using my powers, and I noticed how the mood of the teachers change from easy and calm to disconcerting and hostile.

_And it looks like its not only the students who hate this chick, the teachers don't like her any better. Understandable- _

Then Emma Frost turned and glared at me, her eyes like ice. She gave me this weird almost challenging smile before she pulled Scott down by the front of his shirt and kissed him passionately.

_Okay, watch my thoughts around the evil telepath._

"Ugh, I can hear the tonguing from here!" Rahne pretended to vomit.

"Scott Summers and her are an item. Kind of gross and disturbing, Ah know." Rogue said, a sour look on her face.

"But, his wife just died!" I said.

"Jah half heard ebout Jean? Ja, its very sad. It has veen only a jear and he is alvready with _her_." Kurt commented.

"Ah think she's been using her powers on him and that's why he's with her." Rogue confided. "Ah mean, how can a guy go from madly in love with one woman ta another not even a year after she died?"

"Hey, you know what would be weird?" Rahne said, as though the thought just popped into her head. "If Scott liked you Alanta! Like, you look so much like Jean and you're a telepath."

I almost gagged at the thought. "Trust me, Scott would never feel that way about me."

"He's a teacher, Rahne, plus yah know how the guy is abou rules." Rogue said.

"Oh yeah? Then explain this to me, oh great Southern one, why hasn't he taken his eyes of her?" Rahne argued.

We all looked over at the teachers' table and saw that Rahne was right. Scott was staring back over at our table but looked away when he saw we were all looking.

"Okay, maybe yah're right." Rogue shrugged.

Suddenly I felt my hood pulled back by someone behind me. I spun around in my seat, ready for a fight. What I saw was an eccentric dressed girl with black hair and dark eyes, popping a piece of gum in her mouth. She gave me a smirk before turning back to a group of people behind her. I recognized the teenagers from the table with the Rasputin boy.

"See? I told you this girl looks _exactly _like Jean Grey!" The girl squealed.

"No, her eyes are blue." A blonde boy argued, shaking his head.

"Bugger off, Jubilee." Rahne snarled. "Leave her alone."

Jubilee gave a patronizing smile and patted Rahne's head.

"Sit doggie, heel. Good girl." She said to Rahne as though talking to a dog.

"You know, that wasn't funny at the first of the semester and its not any funnier now!" Rahne grabbed Jubilee's hand and twisted, making the other girl yell. Small colourful balls of light started to form around Jubilee's hand that was held by Rahne. "Don't even try it firecracker, or else you're going to see Rahne as the Big Bad Wolf!"

"Vhoa, hold on a second!" Kurt protested. "There is no need for violence!"

"Kurt's right Jub, you proved your point, she looks like Jean. Let's just go now." A new voice with a faint Russian accent said softly, placing a hand on Jubilee's shoulder. I looked up, _way _up, to see Peter Rasputin.

"Petey you know I'd do anything for you, but this little doggie has to be housetrained." Jubilee purred.

Rahne rolled her eyes before snarling, "Seriously, your puns suck. Where do you get your material, Spider-Man?"

One of Jubilee's fireworks came loose and hit Rahne in the head. She let out a howl and we could smell burnt hair. The whole dinning area was looking at us now. So much for my first night here being quiet.

"That is it!" Rahne yelled. And then she started to…change. Her body convulsed violently, and twisted into strange positions. Hair started to grow rapidly over her skin as her body continued to change. Seconds later, a red brown wolf stood in the place where Rahne had been moments before.

"You wanna play, pup? Come on!" Jubilee yelled as more bright balls formed and spun around her hands.

"Jubilee, stop it!" A girl with brown hair tried to pull Jubilee back from the snarling wolf but her attempts had no affect. Others from the table were now trying to separate them as other students chanted 'fight!'. Rogue and Kurt had a hold of the wolf but it still struggled to get at Jubilee.

"So help meh Rahne! If you rip this shirt, Ah'll kill yah!" Rogue grunted as she fought to restrain the wolf.

"That is ENOUGH!" A familiar voice hollered. Scott and the other teachers had made their way to the fight zone.

"I've got this darling, a little mind zap should do the trick." Emma Frost said in a upper class British voice.

"Emma, don-" Storm tried to say but it was too late. Both Jubilee and the wolf Rahne collapsed. Storm turned to glare at the blonde woman. "That wasn't necessary."

"What was going on here!" Scott asked, fuming. He looked around the students, searching for answers from the guilty faces, but what he found was me. His eyebrow shot up and he took a step back, his eyes not leaving my face. This was the closest he had gotten to me since Sean blurted out his little secret.

_I can't take this,_ I thought panicking. I turned and ran out of the dinning area.


	12. Chapter 12

Rahne, Rogue and I had just filled our trays with food and were trying to find a spot to sit. Rahne was trying to find a spot furthest from this Jubilee girl, so she was pretty much the one who said what goes for where we sat. Too bad we seemed to come down late and there were few places to choose from.

"Rahne! Rogue! Over here!" A boy called from across the room. I couldn't see who was talking, but Rogue smiled.

"Its Kurt, Ah guess he did find a spot for us." Rogue stated before walking towards the place that the voice had sounded from.

"Great," Rahne muttered. "Just like him to save us a seat, but make it so close to the firecracker."

"Vhere haff you girls veen? I've veen looking for you all afternoon!" Kurt said in a German accent, hidden behind Rogue as she went to sit beside him.

_Dude, does anyone at this school just have an English accent? _I mused.

When Rogue was out of the way, I could see the German for the first time. Years of meeting different looking people taught me not to gasp when I saw him or show my surprise, but I was still shocked at the boy's appearance. He was thin built and had black hair, but that was about the last normal description you could come up with for him. He had dark blue skin and yellow eyes. He had slight fangs for teeth, and a pointed tail to finish it off. He had a slight resemblance to Mystique, which I found odd.

"Kurt, this is Rahne's and mah new roommate, Alanta." Rogue introduced.

Kurt smiled at me, revealing his fangs even more before offering me a three fingered hand. "Velcome Alanta! So you're the reason vhy meine friends have abandoned me this afternoon."

"Oh, belt up Kurt! I'm already brassed off at yah fer picking a seat _here_ without your idea of humor." Rahne grumbled, reaching over and snagging his Pepsi from him.

"Hey!" Kurt started to protest but gave up. He looked at me with a strange look on his face. Somewhere between realization, confusion, and shock. So much for my disguise.

I glared back at the boy till he looked down.

"I am very sorry, you just looked like someone I knew. I didn't mean to stare. I know vhat it is like to be scrutinized like I am not a human, just something to be examined." Kurt flashed me a smile. "Though someone as pretty as you, I doubt people gaze at you for the same reasons as I."

"Stop flirting with the new girl Kurt." Rahne said as she crushed the now empty popcan and chucked it at his head.

Kurt dodged the artillery and grinned at his friend mischievously. "Vhy? Are you jealous, fraulein?"

"You wish Blue Boy!" Rahne laughed.

"So Alanta, what's yahr story? How'd yah end up here?" Rogue asked, twirling a fork in her spaghetti.

"Hmm? Oh," I was jerked back to the table by Rogue's question.

I had been looking around the large dinning area at the different students when I noticed one particular table. It was the most populated table and seemed to be the most 'popular'. The teens there were talking loudly to one another, laughing, and were greeted by many other students as they passed. One boy was juggling flaming rolls and whenever he dropped them or they had burned to a crisp the flame would go out. A couple of girls were doing there nails, giggling loudly. They all seemed to be really good friends and were enjoying themselves. I would have over looked them if not for one boy. He was gorgeous, but that wasn't the only reason why I watched him. He was reading one of my favorite books quietly while the boys around him were being loud and obnoxious. He was so involved in the book (I could understand that, it was an amazing novel) that his friend had to punch him in the shoulder to get his attention. When he looked up, his beautiful blue eyes met mine and he raised a black eyebrow in surprise of being stalked by some strange girl.

I quickly looked away to Rogue, my face colour matching my hair.

"Er, family matters." I answered, still blushing.

"Oooh, Alanta has already picked out a victim. Sorry Kurt, I guess you wasted your flirting on her." Rahne teased. I guess she saw where my gaze was directed.

"Nein, flirting is never vasted un a pretty girl." Kurt retorted.

"Whatever. But I think I should warn you lass, Peter Rasputin may not be as easy to enchant as Blue Boy. Rumor is that he 'bats for the other team', if you know what I'm saying."

"Rahne, yah don't know that!" Rogue reprimanded, rolling her eyes.

"Lets see, he's a painter, he's sensitive, and he's never dated anyone." Rahne said, ticking off her fingers. "I mean, he's nice to girls but he's never showed an interest in them and if he gets asked out he declines and avoids the girl forever! Any guy _that_ gorgeous and still single must be."

"Maybe he's just waiting for the right one." I said accidently. I didn't mean to say it out loud! I blushed even deeper as the three stared at me. "Whatever, I was only staring at his book; it was a really good story."

"Yeah, and the one you just came up with now is too." Rahne smirked.

I rolled my eyes but said nothing. So this girl thinks I have a crush, no big deal. I'm probably not staying at this school for long (still not sure why I'm still here, actually) so none of these X-men wannabes matter. I'll be cruising back to the Brotherhood-

_Aly, Aly, Aly; you talk big but you know you can't leave. _I thought realistically. _I've always just wanted a family and though some of the Brotherhood offered me a 'sort of' family, it just wasn't ever right. Uh, maybe because my fatherhead figure kidnapped me from my real family? I can't go back there knowing what he did. And… I need to know Scott and about Jean. Hank mentioned how much they loved me, so maybe it could be the same now? I really don't know. I want a family but I'm not sure if this is the right way to go about this. Scott seems so indifferent and distant from me, why doesn't he care? Maybe he doesn't believe I'm his Alanta. I guess that makes sense, he only knew me as a baby and he thought he saw me murdered. Having my death faked and that I've just been living else where for the past sixteen years does seem a little far fetched. But, I _need _Scott. Its strange, like the feeling I felt when I had to go to the mall. Its drove me to the mall, had that strange sensation while there, and now this. Its like something's guiding me…_

_Ha, maybe Creed was right, _I mentally rolled my eyes at myself, _I think too much._

_Whoa whoa whoa! What the hell is this!_ I nearly had the milk I was drinking spurt out of my nose when I saw the weirdest sight! "Dear old daddy" had walked into the dinning area talking to some scantily clad blonde.

I slunk down in my seat and pulled my hood up closer.

"Hey guys, who's that?" I asked.

"Mmth?" Rahne looked to see where I was looking and made a face. "Ugh, just the school's psycho slut."

"That's Emma Frost, she came here ta teach after Professor Grey died. Villain turned evil teacher, used ta work for the Hellfires club or somethang." Rogue supplied. "She walks around dressed like _that_, comes up with tha most cruel an unusual punishments and she has no clue about personal privacy. She'll read yahr mind like it her own personal library."

_Wow, sounds like a real winner, _I thought as I watched Scott pull out a chair for the Frost woman at the teachers' table and pushed her in. I investigated further, using my powers, and I noticed how the mood of the teachers change from easy and calm to disconcerting and hostile.

_And it looks like its not only the students who hate this chick, the teachers don't like her any better. Understandable- _

Then Emma Frost turned and glared at me, her eyes like ice. She gave me this weird almost challenging smile before she pulled Scott down by the front of his shirt and kissed him passionately.

_Okay, watch my thoughts around the evil telepath._

"Ugh, I can hear the tonguing from here!" Rahne pretended to vomit.

"Scott Summers and her are an item. Kind of gross and disturbing, Ah know." Rogue said, a sour look on her face.

"But, his wife just died!" I said.

"Jah haff heard ebout Jean? Ja, its very sad. It has veen only a jear and he is alvready with _her_." Kurt commented.

"Ah think she's been using her powers on him and that's why he's with her." Rogue confided. "Ah mean, how can a guy go from madly in love with one woman ta another not even a year after she died?"

"Hey, you know what would be weird?" Rahne said, as though the thought just popped into her head. "If Scott liked you Alanta! Like, you look so much like Jean and you're a telepath."

I almost gagged at the thought. "Trust me, Scott would never feel that way about me."

"He's a teacher, Rahne, plus yah know how the guy is abou rules." Rogue said.

"Oh yeah? Then explain this to me, oh great Southern one, why hasn't he taken his eyes of her?" Rahne argued.

We all looked over at the teachers' table and saw that Rahne was right. Scott was staring back over at our table but looked away when he saw we were all looking.

"Okay, maybe yah're right." Rogue shrugged.

Suddenly I felt my hood pulled back by someone behind me. I spun around in my seat, ready for a fight. What I saw was an eccentric dressed girl with black hair and dark eyes, popping a piece of gum in her mouth. She gave me a smirk before turning back to a group of people behind her. I recognized the teenagers from the table with the Rasputin boy.

"See? I told you this girl looks _exactly _like Jean Grey!" The girl squealed.

"No, her eyes are blue." A blonde boy argued, shaking his head.

"Bugger off, Jubilee." Rahne snarled. "Leave her alone."

Jubilee gave a patronizing smile and patted Rahne's head.

"Sit doggie, heel. Good girl." She said to Rahne as though talking to a dog.

"You know, that wasn't funny at the first of the semester and its not any funnier now!" Rahne grabbed Jubilee's hand and twisted, making the other girl yell. Small colourful balls of light started to form around Jubilee's hand that was held by Rahne. "Don't even try it firecracker, or else you're going to see Rahne as the Big Bad Wolf!"

"Vhoa, hold on a second!" Kurt protested. "There is no need for violence!"

"Kurt's right Jub, you proved your point, she looks like Jean. Let's just go now." A new voice with a faint Russian accent said softly, placing a hand on Jubilee's shoulder. I looked up, _way _up, to see Peter Rasputin.

"Petey you know I'd do anything for you, but this little doggie has to be housetrained." Jubilee purred.

Rahne rolled her eyes before snarling, "Seriously, your puns suck. Where do you get your material, Spider-Man?"

One of Jubilee's fireworks came loose and hit Rahne in the head. She let out a howl and we could smell burnt hair. The whole dinning area was looking at us now. So much for my first night here being quiet.

"That is it!" Rahne yelled. And then she started to…change. Her body convulsed violently, and twisted into strange positions. Hair started to grow rapidly over her skin as her body continued to change. Seconds later, a red brown wolf stood in the place where Rahne had been moments before.

"You wanna play, pup? Come on!" Jubilee yelled as more bright balls formed and spun around her hands.

"Jubilee, stop it!" A girl with brown hair tried to pull Jubilee back from the snarling wolf but her attempts had no affect. Others from the table were now trying to separate them as other students chanted 'fight!'. Rogue and Kurt had a hold of the wolf but it still struggled to get at Jubilee.

"So help meh Rahne! If you rip this shirt, Ah'll kill yah!" Rogue grunted as she fought to restrain the wolf.

"That is ENOUGH!" A familiar voice hollered. Scott and the other teachers had made their way to the fight zone.

"I've got this darling, a little mind zap should do the trick." Emma Frost said in an upper class British voice.

"Emma, don-" Storm tried to say but it was too late. Both Jubilee and the wolf Rahne collapsed. Storm turned to glare at the blonde woman. "That wasn't necessary."

"What was going on here!" Scott asked, fuming. He looked around the students, searching for answers from the guilty faces, but what he found was me. His eyebrow shot up and he took a step back, his eyes not leaving my face. This was the closest he had gotten to me since Sean blurted out his little secret.

_I can't take this,_ I thought panicking. I turned and ran out of the dinning area.


	13. Chapter 13

I was laying on my bed and watching the sun set over the cliff through my window. As views went, this was a pretty amazing one. I was lucky to get a room that had this wonder to view through its window each day. From my angle on my bed, I could see the jagged edge of the grassy cliff with a pretty stone park bench on it and a bit of the water below it. The rolling water reflected the sinking sun's vibrant oranges, reds, pinks, and gold. In the sky those same radiant colours pierced through the clouds, luminating and transforming them.

_Now if only I was as lucky getting a great father as a window view, _I thought sulkily propping my chin up on my hands.

I heard the door to the room open and saw my two roommates and Kurt trudge through.

"-ing to kill them both!" Rahne swore, leaning on Kurt for support. She still had some wolfish features about her, like her black nose, wolf eyes and ears; but not her strength. Evil Frost must have done quite a job on her.

"Jah jah, vhatever." Kurt sighed, putting her on her bed. "Jha know, if that trip vould half veen elot easier if the Professor vould let students teleport to other's rooms."

"Its bad enough having boys with x-ray vision here without others be'n able ta get in our rooms by teleport'n." Rogue argued.

"Hey Rahne, are you all right?" I asked, coming closer.

The red head gave me a wolfish grin. "Its going to take a lot more than a shock to the brain from that bitch to take me out! Though I've still got detention with the firecracker for a week with Stick-up-his-ass-Summers. Gag. "

"Then vhy did I half to carry you up here?" Kurt muttered, crouching like a cat on the arm of a chair.

"She'll be alright, but what about yah sugah? Why did yah run out of there so fast?" Rogue asked, concerned.

"Uh, to avoid confrontation?" I answered weakly. I ignored the strange looks I was getting and went to stare out the window. The sunset was almost over, the last of the incandescent hues grazing the waters before they were gone for good.

"What do you mean by that?" Rahne finally asked.

"Er," I stalled. I didn't have to tell these strangers anything, but why did I feel the need to?

_Maybe because it will only feel real once you say it out loud. Or that you just need somebody right now to help you figure things out. _A small thought whispered in my mind.

_Okay, that was weird,_ I thought._ Whatever, here goes nothing…_

"I guess I just wasn't ready to see my dad or his mistress." I said, trying to sound like this was nothing.

Three mouths dropped in my direction.

"Yah wanna run that one by us again? Are yah saying that yah're-" Rogue asked.

"Yeah, I'm Scott's daughter." I tried to say calmly, coolly, and confidently.

Those mouths just kept dropping more and more…

"Whoa, I didn't know Scott had a kid! Why didn't you tell us, like, the moment we met you? Man, how could we have been so dense, I mean, just look at you! You're like a 'mini-Jean'! Why didn't we know Scott and Jean had a kid?" Rahne exclaimed, directing the last bit at Kurt and Rogue.

"Well, don't feel too bad about not knowing." I reassured. "I just found out a couple hours ago myself."

"Where half jah veen? How could you not know?" Kurt asked, teleporting closer to me. I got the vague impression of a little kid asking for a bedtime story.

"Um, well, apparently I was kidnapped when I was a few months old from Scott and Jean's apartment. Professor Xavier told me that they both chased after the kidnapper but they gave up when the kidnapper threw something that looked like me into the river. Jean had been taken out for awhile, so it was Scott who saw 'me' thrown in. He didn't have psychic powers to tell him that it was a fake and by the time Jean got there she couldn't sense me. So they thought I was dead." I storied.

When their eyes looked at me, it was almost like they were begging for more. I felt the urge to add 'the end'.

"Vow, that is, vow." Kurt said, his yellow eyes widening.

"Poor Jean, poor Scott…poor yah!" Rogue actually looked genuinely saddened by my story. "And yah've been all alone all this time, no idea about your parents?"

"Well, I wasn't completely alone. And not knowing my parents only bothered me when I was a little kid, by now I just moved on." I lied. The urge to solve mystery of my parents was just as strong as when I was a kid, but by now I had sort of given up hope.

"Vut now jah've found them!" Kurt exclaimed, earning an elbow from Rahne.

"Kurt," Rahne hissed, "Jean."

Kurt's mouth quickly dropped again, revealing his pointed canines, before he put a three fingered hand over it.

"I am sorry Alanta, I vasn't thinking," Kurt apologized.

"Its alright Kurt, I don't mind. I mean, it would have been amazing if I could have met her and I'm sorry she's dead, but I can't miss what I never knew." I shrugged. "I guess the best I can hope for is to learn about who she was by going to this school."

"And you'll haf Mr. Summers!" Kurt added.

"Um," _No, I don't think I will, _I thought to myself.

"He's too busy shagging the White Queen." Rahne blurted out. Her face suddenly turned red as her friends glared at her.

"And you thought I put my foot in my mouth." Kurt commented.

"Its fine. Its not like I was expecting him to 'make up for lost time' or stop his life to get to know me." I told them, trying to sound as truthful as possible. _But I also wasn't expecting to be avoided and ignored._

"He'll warm up ta yah, Alanta." Rogue offered me a timid smile and put her hand on my shoulder. "Yah both just need some time. Once yah two get ter know each other, he'll forget about the ice bitch. Now come on, we'll give yah a tour of the grounds."

I let the two girls pull me up from my spot. I don't know if I'm staying, but it would still be a good idea to know the grounds. It would also give me a chance to clear my mind with some air.

xXx

"-and over there are the stables. I don't go over there though, the horses get freaked out by my scent. Do you ride?" Rahne asked as she pointed over at some barns.

"No, I've never had the chance to. But I've always loved horses, they're really amazing creatures." I answered.

The tour of the grounds was going pretty good so far. Other than being awed by the magnificent landscape, I was also impressed by all the school had to offer for its students. I've never been to a school before, but I doubt many had all that Xavier's had. An archery yard, a track, an Olympic sized swimming pool, a boat house and dock down by the shore, an awesome garage with what seemed to be every kind of vehicle including jets! And now they have a stable for their horses. I haven't ever seen the whole school yet and already I was amazed.

"This place has everything!" I exclaimed, drinking in everything.

"Yeah, well, they need to have a lot to keep us occupied. They try to make it up for never letting us leave by having cool distractions." Rahne said grimly.

"Pardon?" Hearing her say that, I panicked a little. Back home it felt like a prison because Magneto and Creed never let me leave the house any more. I was looking forward to being at a place where I was free, and now they're telling me that this was equally a prison?

"That's being dramatic, Rahne." Kurt argued. "It is only for our protection. Ve live in a vorld that hates us. The moment ve step out of those gates, ve are freaks and monsters. Out there, there are sentinels and people vho vant to hurt us."

"You're only saying that because you're scared of society." Rahne said.

"Vith good reason." Kurt muttered.

"They do let us out on field trips ta adjust ta society." Rogue said, trying to answer my question better than the other two. "Or on special occasions with supervisors. Ah think Bobby and Kitty went out not too long ago with some teachers ta go shopp'n for party supplies. And sometimes Logan, yah know him? Well, he takes some kids out ta breakfast when he's here."

"Jah, but only his 'kits'" Kurt said. I had no idea what he meant by that.

"Logan?" I asked, feeling completely out of the loop. "Oh wait a sec, I think I remember that name…burly guy? Smokes cigars?"

"That's mah Logan. He might seem all tough and stuff, but he's like a father ta a lot of us here. He saved mah life a few times and he understands what we're going through. We're pretty close."

"But he picks his favorites. All of them teenage girls." Kurt said.

"Don't yah imply noth'n bout Logan! He's a good guy and would never do anythang inappropriate with young girls who trust him!" Rogue defended fiercely. "Yah're just as bad as Scott!"

Kurt held up his hands in defense. "Alright, alright!"

"What do you mean by that, Rogue? Does Scott not like him or something?" I asked.

Rogue looked a little guilty. "Oops, Ah keep forgetting that yer his daughter, sorry Alanta. Yeah, Logan and yer dad never got along. Scott thinks the worst of Logan, think'n he's a bad person and unreliable. He's been trying ta get him kicked out for ages."

"Might haf something to do with Logan hitting on his wife…" Kurt said.

"Hey, it was wrong of him ta do that, but Scott's no better! Yah heard the rumors, bout him cheating on Jean with Frost before she died." Rogue argued, forgetting once again about me.

_Okay not sure how to react to any of that…_

"Oh Alanta, I'm-" Rogue remembered me once more and started to apologize, but I cut her off.

"Its fine Rogue, I might as well know this stuff early on, right? So the guy's a bigger jerk than I thought, no big deal." I said, trying to shrug it off. _Just what kind of soap opera is this? Are those rumors true? I thought it was weird that Scott would hook up with Emma not long after his wife's death (if they were as in love as I thought), but if he was having an affair I guess that makes sense._

We continued walking around some more. A couple of times people tried to start conversations but they never took. For the most part we walked in silence. The grounds were practically empty now, with no classes going on. The few students who had come outside to do homework under the trees or to train or whatever had now gone inside.

"Let's show her the cliff edge now." Kurt finally said.

"Nah, its too dark now. We should probably head inside before a teacher comes out ta give us detentions. We're already half an hour past curfew." Rogue said. "We should have brought out a flashlight, it'll take Rahne's wolf senses ta get back ta the school without running into anythang."

"Ah, come on, a few more minutes won't hurt." Kurt coaxed.

"No way. Besides I have two hours of homework to look forward to." Rahne said.

Kurt scowled at the other two girls then turned to me and asked. "Alanta, vould you like to see the cliff? It is very beautiful, even after dark."

"Well," I said. "I'm sure it is really pretty, like the rest of the grounds, and I would like to see it someti-"

My words were cut off by Kurt.

"See? Alanta vants to go. See you girls there in a minute!" With that Kurt grabbed me and everything went dark.

When I opened my eyes and took a gulp of air. My head was spinning and I felt queasy. I felt two arms lower me gently onto some cool, thick, grass where I laid down while I tried to get my bearings. What the hell was that?

"Sorry fraulien, I forgotten that my teleporting affects people like this for the first time." Kurt apologized, his face becoming less blurry all the while.

"Its alright." I squeaked, still trying to get my voice back.

Kurt laughed and helped me up. I was still dizzy and disoriented and wasn't ready to stand up, so I fell into his arms. I held onto his shoulders to keep my balance, and my supper. Once I finally felt like I once again knew which way was up, I realized what I'd been doing. I quickly let go of the practical stranger to find he was holding onto me as well. I blushed and pulled out of his arms. I wonder if Kurt had not been blue, would he be blushing now as well?

"Er," I said, trying to figure out what to say to make this less awkward. "That teleporting sure has a kick, doesn't it?"

I blushed more and turned away. When I did, I forgot about the embarrassing situation because of what I saw.

Kurt and I were standing on a grassy cliff edge, the ground rising so that it was at a height elevation than the rest of the grounds. I stepped closer to the edge and looked down, _way _down. Black waters lapped at a smooth sandy beach below, a few large boulders were scattered closer to the cliff base. A pale yellow moon hung in the cloudy sky, every so often a cloud would sail over the moon's face to give it a new guise. The mysterious orb's reflection showed in the rippling dark waters below.

"Beautiful, just like everything else here. Thanks for showing me this Kurt." I smiled in thanks.

"You're velecome fraulien, I'm glad it pleases you." Kurt answered. He came to stand beside me, surveying the same magnificent scene as I.

"Views like this, makes you feel like you never want to leave." I said, just saying the first thing that came to mind.

"Trust me, I don't plan to." Kurt muttered darkly. I looked over at him in surprise; Kurt was usually (from what I know of him) very cheerful and bright, it was strange to hear him talk in such a way.

"Kurt," I hesitated before continuing. "What, what did Rahne mean by you being afraid of society? If you don't mind me asking."

Kurt sighed deeply and took a few moments before answering.

"I've had…bad experiences in the past. Because of my appearance. They, they thought I vas a demon, evil. I tried to fit in, but they wouldn't let me. After avhile of trying, I just hid. But this one time I got sloppy. It was my village's big festivity, in celebration of the harvest. I was hiding in the shadows to view the festival safely, when I spotted trouble. A girl was being dragged off by a man, obviously against her vill. But nobody else noticed, so I fallowed them. He took her to an ally and-and started to hurt her. Hit her, kick her, push himself onto her. She yelled for help, but they couldn't hear because of the music. I couldn't let her be hurt in such a vay, so I teleported down. I knocked the man out and tried to calm the girl, but she just kept screaming. Her screams finally brought the crowed to the ally, and the villagers got the vrong idea. They thought I-," Kurt stopped talking once more and looked over the cliff edge.

I waited patiently for him to continue. Finally he said, "Lets just say, you haven't really seen people until they form a mob and come after you."

"That's so awful, I'm sorry Kurt." The idea of these humans doing this to a hero sickened me. It was stories like these that made me start to believe Magneto has the right idea.

"They had beat and burned me, but I used all my remaining strength to teleport away. I lay in the town's church tower for a day, vaiting to die. But then the Professor found me the next day. He took me to this haven, showed me that I wasn't a demon like they said but a mutant. I've made good friends here and I've learned a lot, I'm safe. I've never had that before coming here. Trust me Alanta, I never want to leave."

I was saved from saying anything because Rogue and Rahne were running up to us.

"Kurt, I am going to kill you!" Rahne swore, panting a little. "Now let's get inside before we're caught!"

We followed them back down the cliff hill towards the school. I blocked out Rahne's muttering so that I could think.

Kurt has seen the worst of people, but when living with the Brotherhood I never got a chance to experience anything. Looks like while I'm at this school, it'll be the same way. Its not like I want to be in these situations where people show their ugly sides, but I want to freedom to be able to experience the world.


	14. Chapter 14

_*Okay, first an apology. Sorry for not writing in so long, I've just been busy with school (gag) Anyways, the usual, X-men, not mine. Ya-da-ya-da- yada, and so forth_

_Fire, dancing all around me. It runs over my skin, and swirls around my feet. I can see nothing but the flames. But it's not hurting me, but offering me something. Comfort, love, guidance…power. So much power! I am a goddess; able to do anything! I only have to let it in…_

"Move it Al!" Was all I heard before receiving a face full of pillow. "I'm not skipping breakfast because you need your stink'n beauty sleep!"

I opened my eyes wearily to see a teenage girl standing above me, holding a pillow. For a moment I thought it was Wanda. All those times I've gotten the same rude awakening from her, it was like her trademark move. But it wasn't. Just like everything else in my new life, my friends had been replaced.

"So help me Rahne-" I growled.

"Hey, you told me to wake you up this morning! You can't sleep in because you have that meeting with the Professor right after breakfast. You should be thanking me." Rahne replied, showing her wolf like teeth in a grin.

"Yeah, you're a real hero alright. Genuine X-men." I said sarcastically getting up from my warm bed. I hissed slightly as my bare feet touched the cold floor. I then dived back under my covers and called. "Will one of you hand me my clothes? Its too cold out there."

"Wuss." Rahne said, throwing some clothing from my dresser at me. She said that, but I saw that she transformed her human feet so that they were a wolf's padded and furry ones so she wouldn't have to deal with cold floors either. Hypocrite.

"Thanks." I said as I began to dress from under my warm covers.

"Yeah, sorry 'bout the chilly room girls." Rogue apologized as she came out of the bathroom brushing her hair. "It was so hot in here last night, Ah opened a window. Guess Ah forgot ta close it again."

With my feet now protected with thick socks, I got up and started making up my bed as I listened to my roommates talk.

"I think I remember being really hot last night too, or at least I remember having to get out of bed to retrieve the blankets I kicked off." Rahne added.

"Not me, I didn't-" I stopped talking and looked down at the blanket in my hands in shock. Ranhe and Rogue came over to see what the matter was and gasped.

"Well," Rogue swallowed. "That probably explains why it was so hot in here last night."

Half of my blanket was missing and the edges were black and crispy. From the looks of it, the blanket had been on fire sometime during the night. But how could that be? It had been on me the whole time and it wasn't like this before I went to bed. I think I would have noticed if my bed was on fire!

"That's it, this is the last straw!" Rahne snarled. "She's really going to get it this time!"

"What?" I said, still dumfounded.

"Come on, you guys seriously don't know who did this? It was obviously Jubilee!" Rahne declared. 'The firecracker probably did it because Peter likes you and not her. Heck, she was probably trying to kill the lot of us."

I blushed and glared at my friend. Other than our interaction during my first dinner here, nothing had happened between Peter and me. After two weeks of being here, I haven't even gotten a hello from the giant Russian. Rahne was just looking for a motive. Not that I wouldn't have wanted to be with- I'm not even going to finish that thought.

"Noth'n like starting the morn'n with murder attempts." Rogue muttered, rolling her eyes. "Come on Rahne, how would she get in here? It doesn't makes sense that she would do this. Nah, this was probably an accident. Faulty electric plug or somethang."

"That's what she wants you to think." Rahne insisted.

"Don't go accusing her Rahne." Rouge warned. "We've got enough troubles with that group without accusing them of killing us, just drop it."

"Al, tell Miss Southern Bell that we have to do something! We can't let that fire maniac walk all over us!" Rahne turned to me for support.

But I was with Rouge on this one. Mainly because I had a very unpleasant feeling about the one who had really caused the fire. Was it just a coincidence that a fire had started sometime during the night, and I have dreams of fire? Maybe I should talk to Proffessor X during our-

"Meeting!" I moaned, realizing the time. "Shit guys, I've got to run or I'll be late. Grab me some bacon or something to slip to me during World History with Storm, okay?"

Before they could answer, I grabbed my textbooks for my first class and bolted out the door.

I really thought I was going to make it to my meeting. I was booting it through the halls at top speed, dodging other students, flying down the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator. Apparently I was being too cocky because as I rounded the corner on the second floor, feet from the Headmaster's office- I ran into a wall.

At least it might as well have been a wall.

Peter Rasputin looked down at me in shock as I shook my head, trying to come out of my daze.

"Uh, here, let me help you." Peter offered, reaching down and covering half my fore arm with just a hand. He easily pulled me up and then picked up my books. "I'm sorry, you were going so fast I didn't have time to move. Super speed?"

"What?" I asked, still a little shocked and totally embarrassed.

"Um, it was a joke. A lame one, I guess." He actually blushed!

Oh, he was talking about my mutation, I realized.

I laughed nervously, "Nope."

We both stood there awkwardly for a moment, not sure what to say.

"I'm sorry about plowing into you, I should have watched where I was going. At least you didn't go Man of Steel on me; then you'd have to peel me off you instead of helping me off the floor." I blurted out, before realizing how lame I sounded.

Fortunately, he smiled at me. What an amazing smile! One of those smiles you could stare at all day…

_I am such a freak,_ I thought to myself, making myself look away.

"So what has you is such a hurry?" Peter asked.

"Um, I have a meeting with the Professor." I answered. Here at the school we have many teachers, but only our headmaster has the title of _the _Professor. I guess because he was the one who taught most of our teachers. "How about you?"

"I have to use Professor Xavier's phone to call home. Any calls out of the country have to be done through his phone because students kept calling other countries for fun." Peter replied.

"Was it nice, in Russia?" I couldn't help but ask. "I've never been anywhere, I hardly even left my home."

"It was beautiful. And life was easier there. My family's still there, which makes this place even more lonely." Peter said. I could hear the longing in his voice. "What about you're fami- oh."

His eyes scanned my hair and face, so much like my unknown mother's. By now everyone knew. At least, they knew Jean was my mother. Rahne said she over heard some kids talking about whether or not Scott was my dad. They didn't think that Jean would cheat on Scott with someone else, but they couldn't believe that someone's father (if both were mutants) could be so distant to his daughter. Most would love to have mutant parents, since it was humans' hatred for us that drove most of the students to the Xavier Institute.

"Yup, my family." I said, trying to sound like the sheer thought of my 'family' didn't make me feel like I was completely alone in the world. I pushed back my red bangs and looked down. Here Peter calls his family in freaking RUSSIA to tell them how much he misses them and shit, while I don't even talk to my so called father. I must seem like a complete freak to him.

"I, um, better go. You know, for my meeting." I said, gesturing at the Professor's wooden door.

"Yeah." Peter said, handing me my text books. I walked past him and touched the brass doorknob when I heard him say. "Hey, Alanta?"

_He knows my name? _I felt my stupid teenage girl heart flutter in my chest.

"Yes?"

"It was nice talking to you." With that the gorgeous giant turned and walked around the corner.

I smiled to myself. Not really sure why, but I did.

_Good start to the day,_ I thought as I proceeded to open the door.


	15. Chapter 15

I'm not the first one to admit it, but I love Professor Charles Xavier. All the students did. Not only because he offered us a sanctuary, a home to learn in, and was a mutant who got us and understood our problems, but because he was such a great guy. He's like a grandfather I never had. He listens to us, he teaches us, he even goes out of his way to help us or to make this feel like home. Like he did for Peter by letting him use his phone to call his family or makes these meetings so students have a chance to talk about things. He has this kind smile and never yells. He just makes you feel like you're cared about and protected.

I know I'm suppose to be on Magneto's side and think the Xavier is a foolish old coot that will doom us all and takes the side of humans over us; but sometimes its hard to remember that.

I looked around the Professor's office. It was pretty cool. The walls were covered with books, starting at the floor and going right t the top. There was one of those ladders connected to a rail along the bookshelves (I privately dreamed of having so many books that I would need one!), so you could slide it along. The carpet was red and was plush. The first breath you take in is scented by old books (I like the smell, myself), cedar and Old Spice.

Professor Xavier smiled at me from behind his old wooden desk.

"Ah Alanta, I was just going to call for you to see if you were even out of bed yet." The Professor said pleasantly. He gestured to a fruit bowl on his desk. "Have you had breakfast yet? Please, feel free to take some."

"Thanks. Sorry for being late." I apologized, taking a nectarine.

"Quite all right, my dear." Xavier forgave. Leaning forward with his finger tips together, he asked. "So, how are you adjusting?"

"Well, it's kind of weird to be going to school and having others teach me, but its all right. Plus the food here is great. Oh, and I actually didn't get lost on my way to the girls' showers yesterday." I answered.

"Yes, I remember you saying that you haven't gone to school before, so I'm pleased to hear from both you and your teachers that you are doing well in your classes. But you didn't have others teach you?" He asked.

I shifted uncomfortably in my chair. I reinforced all my memories and thoughts of the Brotherhood, my past, taking my guards from my memory of my talk with Peter this morning. For most of things I can do with my psychic powers, its all mental imagery. Like seeing ghost hands do things when I just my telekinesis to pick things up, or putting bricks around my memories so other telepaths can't see them. I'm sure if the Professor tried with all his power he could break through and know of my past, but the result would leave me braindead. So I'm pretty safe, just as long as I don't let my guards down.

"Um, yeah, I taught myself. Plus being a telepath helps. Just take what they don't teach." I shrugged.

Xavier raised his eyebrows slightly.

_Oops, _I just remembered how the Prof disapproves of using our powers to get ahead. Its not like I'm cheating really, I'm just using a different learning strategy. Or, at least, that's what I kept telling myself when I used to sneak out to go to libraries and local collage lectures before Creed stopped me.

"Yes, well, I'm sure it was very resourceful for you to use your gifts to advance your learning when you did not have other methods of being taught; but now that you're here with teachers, I'd prefer it if you resist the urge to take the easy path of education." Professor Xavier said, just a hint of stern in his voice. "That's part of the reason I asked you to meet with me this morning. I know you have all these new classes to deal with, but I wish for you to partake in my own class. Its mostly theories and discussions, all about using our powers for the right reasons. With telepaths…"

I gave him a moment to let him find the right words.

"Well, sometimes those of us with these types of mutations, there is a lot of moral questions. I think it could benefit you, and I'd much enjoy your presence in my class. I believe you have much to bring to our discussions." Professor Xavier finished.

I looked at the grandfather figure. All those years of wanting to know 'right and wrong'…

But I was with the Brotherhood, I'm a bad guy, aren't I? I don't know. I don't want to say the wrong things and get in trouble. Plus I bet most of the discussions will be about playing nice with the lowly homo sapiens.

I noticed that he was studying my reaction.

_Come on Al, remember that you're trying to fit in._ I reminded myself.

"Sure Professor, I'll come." I replied.

"Great, I'm glad." The Professor said, smiling. It was strange and maybe I was imagining it but instead of relaxing about not having to fight me about joining his class or whatever, Xavier actually seemed more tense.

_Weird, _I thought to myself, taking another bite.

"So you said that's one of the things you wanted to talk about, what's the other?" I asked, leaning back in the comfortable chair. The Prof sure knows how to pick chairs.

"Well, this is a little harder topic than you joining my ethics class." Xavier started.

At that moment, there was a knock at the heavy wooden door and Scott Summers peaked around the edge. I quickly looked back, eyes straight ahead of me, hoping he didn't see me. What is he doing here?

I expected that Professor Xavier would tell him politely that he was in a meeting and would ask him to come back later but instead he said. "Ah, Scott, come in."

Scott entered the study and stood about eight feet from the old desk. Standing like a soldier, feet spread shoulder width apart, hands behind his back and head staring straight forward.

What a jerk.

_That is not a very nice thing to think about your father, Alanta. _The Professor's voice floated in my mind.

I didn't even look at him when I replied back telepathically, _"Sorry Professor, but he is. I thought you didn't read people's thoughts without permission?"_

"_My dear, you practically screamed it." _Was all he said before saying out loud. "Scott, you don't have to be so formal. Take a seat my friend."

I've been here about two weeks and I avoid Scott Summers the whole time. Not that he comes looking for me. There's a lot of rumors going around about the two of us right now. Scott can make students stop talking, he can ignore his colleagues and teammates questions; but I have to listen to their thoughts. All the time. I block out Scott's thoughts at all costs. I don't why he is so cold to me. I mean, he never tried to find me, he's sleeping with some slutty teacher because my mum died, and I'm a moody teenager; so I'm allowed to be angry and distant. Not him. Too bad he doesn't know these rules.

I must have zoned out, thinking, because the Professor gave me a little mental nudge to pay attention.

"Sorry, what?" I asked, my face going a little red. I noticed that Scott still hadn't taken the offered seat beside me.

"Professor, do you really think this is any of your business?" Scott practically growled at Professor Xavier. Whoa! Never expected that. For one because no one gets snarky at the Prof and two because Scott is Xavier's number one supporter. Did I really zone out for that long?

"As your friend, as both your mentor, and Alanta's grandfather; yes I do." Professor answered coolly.

"Wait, grandfather?" I asked, not sure if I heard right.

"Adopted grandfather, of course." Professor (granddad?) Xavier replied, smiling until he turned back to Scott. "Scott, you two can't keep going on like this. I know both of you are too stubborn to make the first move, but you need each other. Jean wouldn't want this."

"Don't you dare bring my dead wife into this, Charles! Don't you dare to pretend that you know what Jean would have wanted, like you know her better than I did!" Scott shouted.

_Professor? _I asked mentally. I wasn't sure what I was asking, it was more putting all of my unsurity of this conversation into one pathetic question.

_Its alright Alanta. _Was my answer. _He's just as scared as you. Be brave, make the first move. Do you want this?_

It was a few rapid heart beats before I quietly spoke out.

"I want to…" I spoke so unsurely and quietly that I wondered if he heard. "Um, I mean,"

Both men stared at me now. The Professor gave me an encouraging smile, while Scott stared at me like he forgot I was in the room. I wonder what was going on in his mind, but I didn't dare to look.

"I would be okay with, you know, hanging out or something, if you are." I said quietly.

"You, you mean, Ala…" Scott's nonsense sentence died in his mouth. He looked at me, really looked at me.

I ducked my head, not sure how I was supposed to act.

_Stupid,_ I scolded myself_ . You're acting like an idiot, all because you have 'daddy' issues. You don't even know if he wants to be a family, in fact, you have more reason to believe that he rather pretend that you don't exist! _

Scott didn't yell at the Professor again. They decided on a time and place for me and Scott to meet. More like, Xavier decided, and Scott and I nodded to say we understood.

"Great, so it is decided. Alanta, you can go on to your classes now, and remember you are free to pop in anytime." Professor Xavier told me kindly.

I don't know why I did it, probably because I'm an idiot. But when I got up to leave, I crossed behind the desk and gave my adopted grandfather a hug. At first he just did nothing, shocked, but quickly returned the hug. When I stepped away, he was smiling.

I'm not a hugger. With a guy like Victor Creed for a foster father, you don't really get used to hugs and kisses from people. Maybe I did it because the Professor is so kind to me and is my adopted grandfather. Maybe it was to get a reaction out of Scott, who didn't get a hug? Or maybe because there is a gas leak in the room and I'm high.

I hurried out the door and to my class, trying to figure out all these strange thoughts and emotions that were brought up during the meeting.

I really did mean to go to class, but when my feet started running, it wasn't in the direction of my advanced biology class. I ran faster and faster, as if I could fast enough to escape my mind.

When my chest started to feel tight and my breaths came out as short painful gasps did my feet slow. Trying to breathe easily once more, I laid down on the soft grass and closed my eyes.

_Want family, dead mother, father who doesn't want me and is sleeping with someone who isn't my mother, school, don't need family, Creed, the Brotherhood, my grandfather is Charles Xavier, strange dreams of fire, burnt blanket, headache, moral class, good guy or bad guy-_

All these topics, thoughts, feelings, swam through my mind; never letting me concentrate on one before a new one took its place.

"You should be in class." A male voice said above me.

I opened my eyes and saw that Logan guy standing above me, steadying a beautiful motorcycle at his side. I quickly rolled away and sprang into a fighting stance, kicking myself for not noticing his presence before now.

I eyed Logan, Wolverine, suspiciously. Creed was always fighting him and hated him. I never really knew the real reason. I heard somewhere that they were brothers or something. I didn't know what their feud was about, but I knew I was supposed to be on Sabretooth's side.

"Yeah well, maybe I don't need class. Maybe I'm leaving, so I don't have to listen to you prissy teachers. So just fuck off!" I snarled. _That's right, Wildcat has claws._

To my surprise, the Wolverine burst out laughing instead of getting mad. He has a temper nearly as infamous as Creed's! Was he drunk or something?

"You don't even realize how funny it is to hear someone who looks exactly like Jeanie to talk like that." Logan snorted. "So you ditching the school?"

I was about to say I was, but I stopped myself. Did I even know what I was doing?

Seeing me debating with myself, Logan continued.

"Come on, I'll walk you back to the school." Logan offered. Only now I realized that I was at the institutes gates.

"I'm not going to class. I have English with Frost and I don't feel like having some bitches' breasts shoved in my face." I said.

Logan shrugged. "Understandable. But I'm suppose to be a teacher figure here and Chuck will have my hide if he knows I let you skip just to lay on the grass and argue with yourself. You can help me fix up my bike."

I considered his proposal for a moment before nodding and walking with him back up to the school's garage. It was a pretty sweet bike, I was keen to see how it purred.

Plus, it was a known fact that the Wolverine and Cyclops hated each other. Maybe we could trade 'one-eye' jokes.


	16. Chapter 16

_*I do not own the X-men_

_Hey guys! Just wanted to thank you all for reading my story and I hope you are enjoying it! Plus, if its not too much trouble, I'd really like you to review it. It would make my day _

"-and we just got the X-Jet off the ground before the whole island was underwater. That was some 'vacation', Jean swore that she would kill whoever seconded Scott's vacation choice again." Logan finished his amazing story with a snort. He took a drag on his smelly cheap cigar before asking, "Will you pass the torque wrench?"

I handed the requested tool, still grinning at the story.

"Thanks." Logan said before concentrating on his bike's motor.

I had been helping him repair different vehicles all afternoon. I borrowed some of his mechanics knowledge (things that I already didn't know from Creed) so I could actually help repair instead of just handing him tools. We worked on the Professor's shiny black Lincoln, the X-men's hummer, and even did a routine check for the X-Jet. The others were jobs, but with them done, Logan had time to work on his bike. I sensed how much he enjoyed working on his motorcycle, so I didn't try to take the job from him.

He's also been telling me stories about the X-men's adventures, the different superheroes he's worked with (I don't know if I really believe him, but he told me this really amazing adventure he had with Captain America during the war!), and daily going ons at the school.

It was…nice.

Working with him, learning from him, hearing stories from him. It was weird to have an adult male just being with me and doing all these things with me without it having to be a drill or lesson. Creed did talk to me sometimes, but mostly just complaining or yelling.

I saw Logan glance at the garage's clock.

"Damn, I really didn't mean to keep you here for this long. I agreed to let you skip the ice queen's class, but not the whole day. Chuck's going to have my ass. You better get going if you're going to make it for supper." Logan said before going back to the motor.

I felt a sinking feeling in my chest. So he didn't want me here. I slid off the tool table and wiped the oil off my hands before picking up my jacket to leave.

"Well, thanks for letting me hang out with you today." I said, turning to go.

"Hey, kid," Logan said suddenly, stopping me from going further. "You don't have to go, it was just a suggestion."

I smiled and hurried back to my spot.

"Hey, um, Logan? What was Jean like? You know, my mum?" I asked quietly. He looked back at me with surprise, so I added. "Its just, I really don't know anything about her other than we both have the same powers and we look alike. Professor Xavier told me that I'm a lot like her, and some of the students say that she was a great teacher. Its kind of a sketchy image to go on."

Logan was quiet for a moment.

"She was really smart, a doctor and a teacher. All the students like her, she was patient and understanding with em. She really helped the telepaths here control their powers. To the X-men, she was our friend. Full of life, adventurous, and she would give us the kick in the ass when we needed it." Logan grinned to himself, as if remembering a time she did just that to him.

I let every word sink in, trying to build onto the image of the woman that was my mother.

"She didn't deserve to go the way she did, or so early. We lost a few over the years, but I think it was her death that hurt us the most."

"What happened to her?" I asked.

"I shouldn't be the one telling all this." Logan stalled.

"I don't have anyone else to tell me. The man who is suppose to be my father kind of avoids me and pretends that I don't exist." I said, trying not to sound petty.

Logan swore. "Asshole Summers, can't stop thinking bout himself for a minute. Listen kid, you're mom was a great lady, in every way. They're right; you're a lot like her, and not just physically."

I sit in silence, my head down. I know I asked to hear about Jean, but it still upsets me to hear about her. Upsets? Maybe that's not the right feeling. Its more-its hard to explain. I guess its kind of like hearing of this imaginary magical place that you know doesn't' exist so you can never go. Or falling in love with a fictional character while knowing he's not real.

I'm never going to meet her, be with her, so why should I care what she was like? Why can't I just throw every thought of her from my mind and continue on with my life?

I feel a large hand on my shoulder and I look up into Logan's blue eyes.

"Kid, I'm not that good with people and I'm defiantly not the first person people go to for personal problems, but if you need someone to talk to or just to get away for a bit, you can come to me."

I must have let down my metal guards down because I heard Logan think _"The kid needs somebody, and that loser Summers isn't going to be there for her while he's shagging the Ice Queen. She really needs you Jeanie, we all do."_

I hugged the burly man _(what is with me? Hugging two people in one day? I'm going soft. Creed will be pretty pissed when we meet again) _and whispered "Thank you."

"Scott darling, you've hardly touched your food." Emma Frost drawled in her English accent, bringing a glass of red wine to her lips.

"I-I guess I'm just not that hungry." Scott said. He had taken off his ruby lenses shades and was rubbing his eyes. Emma had to admit, when ever her lover took off those glasses to stop his powerful optic laser beams from shooting out of his eyes, she was aroused.

Emma got up and stood behind Scott. She rubbed his shoulders for a bit before leaning down to whisper in his ear in her best seductive voice, "Well then maybe we could skip dinner and have some fun."

Instead of instantly getting up, ready to please Emma in anyway she told him, Scott just sighed and slid his chair away from the small round table. Getting up, he left to go stand out on the balcony.

Emma frowned, not liking this behavior at all. She followed him out and leaned on his side, holding his arm.

"What's wrong lover?"

"Its just- the meeting I had with the Professor today. It's got me thinking." Scott admitted.

_Uh-oh, _Emma thought grimly. She zoned out, not listening to her partner go on and on. _How can such an animal in bed be so dull the rest of the time?_

"I don't even know why I'm doing it. I want to get to know her, to be the father she deserves, but something's stopping me and I can't figure out what it is. I've been watching her, she's been adjusting well. Made a couple friends. She does have a problem following rules, but I'm sure she'll get used to it. I can't help thinking how much like Jean she is, I can't see myself in her at all. I don't think of it as a bad thing, but I think we'd be better able to reconnect if she were like me. You know last night when I left the bedroom? It was because I went to go watch this old video Jean filmed when Alanta was a baby." Scott tried to explain what he was feeling and thinking, but it just came out as a rant. "It was so easy then. I don't know how I'm supposed to do this without Jean."

_I swear if he says either of their names again! _Emma thought, grinding her teeth.

"We're suppose to spend the afternoon together tomorrow. I've been thinking about it all day. I'm going to take her-"

_That is enough! _Emma threw the command at Scott's mind hard, making him stop in mid sentence.

_First I have to deal with that bitch Jean crossing his mind every five min__utes and now I also have to compete with her spawn for his attention! I bet she's a fake anyway. Why didn't he tell me he had a kid before?_ Emma thought. She sighed and leaned on Scott's immobile form. _I should be the one and only one. I can't rid of his damn memories of Jean, the bitch probably used her powers to make sure of that. Is it too much to ask for-_

An evil thought crossed Emma's mind. She smiled as she traced Scott's abs with a dainty forefinger.

_I can't get rid of Jean's memory, but I can get rid of my other competition. Swiftly and easily._

Emma released Scott's mind just enough so he could move but so she was still in control.

"Scotty love, you've been a bad boy. Talking about those two whores to me is a turn off. Luckily for you, I have forgiven you. Now, we're going to have some amazing sex. You're not going to remember upsetting me with your drabble, just the sex. Are you okay with that?" Emma cooed. Giving him a little metal nudge, Scott nodded his head. "I knew you would be."

Still in control, Emma made Scott pick her up and carry her to the bed room.


	17. Chapter 17

"Are you sure you do not vant us to valk you down, _fräulein? It vould be no trouble." Kurt asked again. He was sitting on the bed footboard like a cat, watching me with his glowing golden eyes._

_I was getting ready for my outing with Scott that was arranged yesterday. I spent the better part of the last hour trying to pick out an outfit. Formal? Casual? I didn't know where he was taking me. My friends were no help. Rahne told me to not show up, teach him a lesson, while Kurt was trying to convince me to hug him when we met up. One extreme to another. _

_Rogue refused to get involved, all she said was 'Ah'm not the one tah give advise on fathers, mahn kicked me out and tried to shoot meh for being a mutant."_

I gave up trying to make my bangs go the way I wanted them to and flopped onto my bed.

"No, really Kurt, I'll be fine. But thank you."

Rahne was lying on her bed reading a magazine. She didn't bother looking at us when she said. "I still think you're making a mistake by going."

"Ignore her, she's just mad that you get to go to town and she's stuck here. This is going to be great." Kurt encouraged, his friendly smile showing fangs.

I gave him a weak smile in return. My blue friend was more optimistic about this than I was. I patted his three figured hand and said, "At least one of us are confident."

I got up from my bed and checked my appearance once more in the mirror. I began my battle with my bangs again as I thought.

I decided on wearing sunglasses tonight, a pair I was borrowing from Rahne. Though I blocked Scott's thoughts from me as much as I could, for some reason I couldn't completely keep him out. I got vague feelings from him, almost thoughts. I got the feeling from him that my eyes (so like his) distressed him. Seeing them or thinking about them made him uncomfortable, and I wanted to make tonight as relaxed as possible.

I took off the glasses and stared at my eyes. If just the thought of me having his eyes made him uncomfortable, how can this night possibly go well?

Rogue came up behind me and placed her gloved hands gently on my shoulders (this showed how close we've grown. Even with all her dangerous skin covered, she avoided physical contact. I guess she decided I needed a friendly boost). She leaned in and lowered her voice so only I could hear.

"Ya'll be fine darl'n, stop worry'n and just go." She whispered.

I turned away from the mirror to look at Rogue in the eyes, hoping mine were saying all the thanks to her. I squeezed her hand before grabbing my dark brown leather jacket and went to the door.

"Don't wait up guys." I called, opening the door. They all gave their good-byes and good lucks.

I was about to go out the door when I turned back. My friends looked at me expectantly, but the only explanation they got was a small smile. I tossed the borrowed sunglasses on the nightstand by Rahne's bed before going out the door.

Maybe this time he'll feel differently about my eyes.

xXx

"She's screwed." Rahne stated before shoving a hand full of popcorn in her mouth.

"Stop saying that, you're jinxing her!" Kurt argued, taking the bowl of hot popcorn from the Scott.

"You are _so _superstitious. And it doesn't matter what I say because this is doomed from the start." Rahne countered. "Hey Rogue, do you think this 'daddy-daughter' date is gonna make it or break it?"

"Ah think you two should just drop it and watch the movie." Rogue murmured, turning up the volume of the small tv. Tonight the friends decided to just relax and watch a movie in the senior lounge on the girl's floor while Alanta went out with her father. Storm allowed them to get some microwave popcorn from the teacher's lounge and they didn't have to fight other students for the tv tonight. It would have been great, if any of them were actually concentrating on the movie and not what was happening with Alanta and Scott.

"Grouchy much? What's the matter Rogue?" Rahne asked, offering the pop corn bowl.

Rogue shook her head and pushed the bowl away. "Ah just thank Ah wouldn't want you guys talking bout meh behind mah back, and Alanta probably doesn't either."

"Ve know that, ve are just vorried about her." Kurt defended.

Rahne looked Rogue in the eyes and right away she knew that wasn't it, at least not all of it. Rahne was the first one to welcome Rogue to the school and they've been friends and roommates for years, she could tell when her friend, all most sister, was fibbing.

As well as she knew Rogue, she still didn't know what was really bothering her.

Maybe Rogue had sensed Rahne's distrust in her words because just as Rahne opened her mouth to get the truth out of Rogue, Rogue jumped up from the couch and said, "Listen, Ah'm pretty tired and I have an early Danger Room session tomorrow, Ah'm gonna turn in. See yah guys tomorrow."

Kurt and Rahne stared open mouthed as Rogue hurried out of the room.

"Vell, that vas-"

"Weird." Rahne finished. "You have any idea what's her problem?"

"I vas hoping you did." Kurt sighed.

Rahen put her feet up on the couch, taking the space that Rogue was currently using. She looked up Kurt who sat on the back of the couch as she stretched. "Could use Alanta's mind reading powers right now."

"Jah, but ve don't and she wouldn't. I guess ve just have to vait and see if Rogue confides in us."

"Pfft, like that's gonna happen. That girl is more secretive than a cat; she won't spill anything." Rahne replied. "Maybe we should-"

Rahne was cut off as a small group of teenagers entered the lounge noisily. Some of the boys were shoving each other. One gave the other an extra hard shove, making him crash into the new stereo (at the mansion, full of superpowered restless teenagers, things were always having to be replaced).

Rahne looked down at the broken stereo with disgust.

"Great job morons, there goes another month without decent sound system." Rahne said sarcastically.

"Rahne…" Kurt warned quietly, his glowing yellow eyes watched the other boys.

"You saying something, bitch?" The largest boy asked menacingly.

"Bitch, like I haven't heard that one before." Rahne replied, giving a wolfish grin.

The boy who spoke to Rahne stepped towards her now, trying to intimidate her. He assumed the fact that she didn't say anything else meant that she subsided to him.

He sneered and turned away. "Come on guys, let's go."

"Hey, you can't just leave, you broke the stereo." Rahne called to their retreating backs.

The boys just threw amused looks over their shoulders and kept walking.

"Hey Kurt, I think movie night is a bust but I think I got another idea for fun. Up for it?" Rahne said quietly.

Kurt was about to talk his 'leap before she thinks' friend out of what she was obviously thinking of doing, but he knew there was no point when he saw her nails turning into claws and her face elongating into a wolf's muzzle.

"Vhy can't movie night just be a movie night?" Kurt muttered. " I just hope Al is having a better night than the rest of us."

xXx

"Mphm!" Wanda's yell was muffled by a large hand. Her eyes flew open to darkness and the hand tightened. She thrashed and started to conjure a scarlet bolt of lighting to strike her attacker.

"Wanda, its just me, calm down!" A young male voice whispered in the dark.

The hand loosened enough for her to whisper back, " 'Tro? What's going on?"

"We're going on a little adventure, wanna come?" Another boy's voice said coyly. This voice too was familiar.

"Jamie! You're in my room? I'm in my paj-" A hand was placed over her mouth again, cutting her off.

"Shut up, you're going to get us caught!" Pietro said harshly.

"Oh this is stupid." Wanda grumbled, using her mutant power to illuminate her hand. It was just enough that she could see her twin brother, Jamie, Toad, and the dark figure of three others.

"More guys in my- don't you dare 'Tro." Wanda warned as her brother's hand started to come towards her mouth again. "What's all this about?"

"All you need to know is-"

"Lighten up Pete, we might as well tell her. Wanda, we're going after Alanta. Just because some of the Brotherhood are afraid of those pansy X-men, doesn't mean all of us are." Jamie interrupted Pietro.

Wanda gasped softly. They were going to bring Alanta back? She'd been wanting someone to do _something _to bring her friend home, but still nobody did anything. As much as she wanted Alanta back, her father forbid anyone to go after her until he said so. She didn't understand why, but his word was law.

If someone was to go against Father's wishes, she'd have never guessed it would be Pietro.

"Why? I mean, its not that I don't want her back but, why you guys?" She asked.

"I messed up before, letting those sapiens lovers get her, but I can make things right now. I can fix this and show Father that he can trust me again." Peitro confided quietly to her.

"And he can't do it alone, so we came to help." Jamie said.

"I think a little having a round with dem X-people could be fun, no?" One of the figures in the dark spoke. Wanda squinted trying to see the stranger. It was an unfamiliar voice, with a French accent maybe? The voice was male and young, kind of sexy and flirty too.

"Alright, as long as we're getting her back. Just let me get dressed and pack. Which vehicle are we taking?" Wanda asked as she started to get out of her bed.

Pietro pushed her back down. "Wait, you're not coming with us!"

Wanda glared at her brother. "What are you smoking? Of course I'm coming!"

"No you're not. I just came to say good bye and not to worry. This will be dangerous and I'm not putting you in trouble. Father would kill me if anything happened to you."

" Then I won't get hurt. I have powers, just like you guys. I can help." Wanda said stubbornly, pushing past her brother and out of her bed.

"Let the belle come mon ami, she'll make dis even more interesting." The French stranger said.

"Shut up Cajun, I still don't want you to come so don't give me a reason to leave you behind." Pietro growled.

Wanda saw the stranger shrug, "Just trying ta lighten the mood."

" "Tro, you can either let me come so you can have an extra body on your side and my powers, or you can leave me here to wake up everyone and have you face Father. Your choice. Now, I'm going to pack some clothing and get some supplies for the road. You boys had better be ready to go when I am." Wanda said sternly. She stopped at the door only to say, "You guys seriously didn't think I'd let you knuckleheads be in charge of saving my Aly?"

Wanda smiled to herself as she crept down the hall. _Don't worry Al, we're coming!_

xXx


	18. Chapter 18

_Hey guys! I just wanted to apologize, the last couple of chapters weren't that good and didn't really go anywhere. I promise I'll try to do better! Hope you like this chapter, its kind of confusing and please tell me if it sucks big time, but its leading up to what happened to Jean. Please review! _

_J.C. Posch_

xXx

_I feel like a complete loser. _I thought, hugging my knees to my chest as I watched the ocean roll. _You know you're cool when you're stood up by your own father._

I'd been waiting out by the bench on the cliff that over looked the water for over two hours, the place Scott told me to meet him. With each passing minute that he did not come I felt worse and worse. Humiliated, angry…horribly alone.

_What's wrong with me that he doesn't want to get to know me? _I felt an increase of emotion as I realized that tears were running down my face.

_I never cried before I came to the damn school!_ I thought furiously as I wiped away the tears. To my annoyance they were soon replaced. I didn't bother wiping these ones away, instead I turned my face to the cold winds coming off the water and tilted my face up, letting the winds push them away for me.

Above I saw Professor Ororo Monroe, Storm, flying above me. Her mutant gift of control over the elements allowed her to fly, and it was a regular sight at the school to see the hero like goddess soaring through the air. On most days it was a marvellous sight, but tonight it just meant there was someone to watch my humiliating scene. A girl out in the cold for hours, waiting for a father that doesn't care enough to show up. I saw Storm look down with pity on me, then her face contorted to show anger as she flew quickly to the mansion. I forced my eyes downward, _I don't need your pity or for you to yell at him! If he doesn't want to come, then him coming because he's forced won't make me feel better!_

I should go up to his rooms and scream at him! I should make him feel all these crappy emotions I'm feeling now because of him! I should make a scene and show everyone here what a complete jerk he is! I should-

_Leave._

For a moment I stopped my thoughts of hatred and vengeance, something didn't feel right. I should just leave?

_I should just leave, go back to where I cam from. _

My head felt fuzzy, kind of light and blissful.

_That would make everything better, I wouldn't have to deal with _him _ever again. I should just leave._

I felt something inside me that wasn't me, something cold. It wasn't right. But not even a moment later I was back to thinking of leaving the mansion. It was odd, like it wasn't a hard decision at all. So easy to make, made so much sense, would be so easy to do.

_No, I should stay. I belong here, I've always belonged here. I need to give him another chance, it wasn't his fault._

The sensation of something in my mind that wasn't me was still there, but now it now longer felt cold but warm. Like a embrace from a loved one or a summer's warm breeze. It was louder and more forceful than the cold one. It reminded me of the feeling I got before at the mall.

_I should…Lea-stay. Must stay. No deal…with…him, no more. Must stay. Don't belong. Do belong._

It was as if I no longer had a mind of my own. Fire and ice clashed in my mind, battling for my will. There was no longer the bliss of not having to make my own decisions and facing the consequences. The pain was excruciating!

_Stay! Go, must go! Lea-tay! Stay! You must-stay!_

I clutched my head and fell off the bench. On the cold grass I clenched my teeth and curled up into a small ball, as if it would relieve the awful pain.

"Please stop." I whispered, but the voices in my head pretending to be me did not listen.

_No use staying, not wanted here._

_Must stay, belong here._

"Stop." I said a little firmer. The pain increased in my mind, but it felt as though they were losing their grip on me.

_He hates you, didn't even come. Left you out in the cold._

_He loves you, he just doesn't know how to show it. Give him a chance._

"I said stop!" I said through clenched teeth. "Now!"

With all my might, I threw the voices from my mind and put up the strongest shield I ever created before. I felt a gentle warm breeze push up against the shield gently testing it while also feeling icy long nails scratch at the shield, trying to get in. With the last of my energy, I reinforced my shield. Eventually I felt the presences leave.

I was now on my knees, breathing heavily. The world spun, but I kept myself from fainting.

_So that's what it feels like to have a psychic try to take control. Not just one, but two. _I realized. _But who were they? And why?_

Behind me I heard the sound of running feet. I turned and saw Logan rushing towards me, calling. Had he been there long? Had he been calling?

"Logan, I-" When he reached me, I tried to stand but failed. He caught me in his well muscled arms before I fell, and he steadied me. "I-I-"

"Shh, its okay kid, I got yah." His face was blurring and darkening, the harder I tried to focus, the worse it got. "Just hold on, hold on."

_Yup, out did myself again. You're kind of an idiot Aly. _I thought to myself before I completely blacked out.

xXx

I awoke to the smell of gasoline and metal. I opened my eyes and looked around, it took me awhile to realize I was in the X-men's garage.

"Don't sit up." I heard a voice say.

I turned my head to see Logan working on his bike. I tried to prop myself up but my head swam and thudded. I groaned and lowered myself to the couch I was on.

"I told yah, not to sit up." Logan said. He wiped off his hands as he got up from the cement floor and walked over to me. "How you feeling kid?"

"Like I got hit by a bus, you?" I couldn't help but have a little callously from my voice.

"Yeah, whatever was going on in that red head of yours before I got to yah must have been pretty bad. You've been out for a couple hours." Logan told me. He turned to a work table with a plug in kettle on it. "Want some hot chocolate?"

"You drink hot chocolate?" I said, snickering a little. The idea was a funny one, the big tough rebel drinking something as cozy and homey as hot chocolate.

Logan glared at me with his haunting blue eyes. "Yeah, Chuck doesn't like me drinking on the grounds, so hot chocolate is the next best thing. Plus theres nothing better than marsh mellows. So do you want some or not?"

"Yes please." I said politely, but snickered as Logan plugged in the kettle to heat. I heard him muttered under his breath as he worked.

"So what happened? How did I get here?" I asked.

"Brought yah here when I realized Hank was too busy up at the mansion. Apparently some idiots thought it would be a good idea to fight the wolf girl, that friend of yours." I nearly sat straight up and was about to ask when Logan gently pushed me back down. "Don't hurt yourself, she's fine. The boys got the worst of it. Anyway, he was busy and Chuck was out for some meeting so I just brought yah here for some rest."

_Oh sure Rahne, the one night I'm not there you pick a fight. Could have at least saved me one of them!_

"Are you alright? If you're not I'll take you up to the MedBay right now." Logan asked, examining me. The kettle had now boiled and Logan handed me a cup.

"Yes, I'm alright. Just tired and a little soar. Besides, I really don't want to go up to the mansion right now." I replied. I took a steaming sip before I muttered. "Not sure I ever want to go up there again."

Logan let the comment slide. He seemed like the type to not mess with people's personal lives if he could help it.

"Nice couch." I said, trying to change the topic. I had noticed the couch earlier, when I was here before with Logan, but I never asked.

"Yeah well, sometimes I work late in here and I don't want to bother going up to the mansion. And it's a good place for naps, one of the few places you kids aren't running around screaming in." Logan replied.

"Naps and hot chocolate? You're starting to seem more and more like an old man." I joked. Logan muttered again and turned to work on his bike again, but I noticed in the window that he was smiling.

He worked in silence for awhile. I watched him work, drinking my hot chocolate and just relaxing. I winced a little when he popped out an adamantium claw to cut some mental. Apparently I wasn't the only one who use see things in the window. Logan looked back at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't like the sight of blood, kid?" He asked.

"No, its not that. I was just thinking about how much that must hurt. The cutting of the skin must be bad enough, but slicing through nerve, muscle, and the claws must push bones out of the way to come out. Just felt a little sorry for you that you have to feel that." I explained.

"It all heals kid." Logan said.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean you don't feel it." I replied.

Logan gave me an odd look, as though seeing into me. He snorted and turned his attention back to his bike. "You're so much like your mom; sometimes I don't believe that you're a different person."

Logan worked for a bit more before he asked, very quietly, "What happened to you kid? Out on the cliff?"

I looked down, no able to meet his eyes. "Please don't make me talk about it."

For a moment I thought he was going to continue to ask but instead he said. "Alright then, why were you on the cliff in the first place? You were out past curfew."

I didn't want to answer that one either, but he was a teacher and had a right to know. And though it still stung, this one was easier to answer.

"I was waiting for Summers." I mumbled. "But he never came."

"What?" It startled me, he actually yelled that!

I explained how we were suppose to go out tonight, to get to know each other.

"But apparently he wasn't that keen on the idea, I'd been waiting there for two hours and there was still no sign of him." I finished bitterly.

"Of all the lousy- that complete-" Logan seemed at a loss for words, but I could hear a few brilliant swears and names running through his mind.

Suddenly he got up and started to walk quickly towards the garage door, still muttering. When I saw his claws pop out I ran after him (at least, I tried to. Everything ached and I was dizzy, but I got to him before he got too far from the garage).

"What are you doing?" I asked pulling on his arm to try and slow him.

"Gonna teach that bastard a lesson in parenting." Logan growled.

"No please don't." Logan looked back at me and finally stopped walking. The look in my eyes scared me a little, it was the look Creed always had in his eyes. "Please, its bad enough that he resents me without having people force him to spend time with me. Then he'd just resent me more."

I was embarrassed to realize that I was crying, _again_. Pretty pathetic.

Logan sighed and did something very unexpected. He wrapped his arms around me in a hug and pulled me close. I held my breath for a minute and went stiff, not sure how to react. I guess I should have stopped crying, but I didn't. I relaxed in his embrace and continued crying.

It felt really good…

I'm not sure how long we stood there. He whispered soothing things and stroked my hair, I guess like a real father would when his daughter was upset. Eventually I started to shiver in the cold, which brought him back.

"I'd better get you back to the mansion." Logan said quietly.

I wiped the last remains of my tears away. "Do I have to go back? My roommates, they're probably waiting up for me and I really don't want to face them tonight." I asked.

Logan looked up at the mansion, and I wondered what he was thinking. When he turned back to me he said. "If you don't mind, you can sleep on the couch in the garage."

"That would be great." I said thankfully. He led me back to the warm garage.

"Hey, Logan?" I asked after I was settled back on the comfortable old couch.

Logan looked back from the door where he was about to turn out the light. "Yeah kid?"

"C-can you stay? Just for awhile?" I asked this so quietly, if t were anyone but the Wolverine with the enhanced senses, they would have not heard.

I felt like a complete idiot asking that. Like some four year old who had a bad dream and believed there was a monster in the closet, not the teenage hard warrior that I was. What am I becoming? I never would have even considered saying something like that back at the Brotherhood.

Though I was still kicking myself for asking, I felt a wave of happiness rush through me when Logan walked back and sat on the floor by the couch.

"Just until you fall asleep."

_*So what did you guys think? Please review! I'm open to suggestions!_


	19. Chapter 19

I was awoken by yelling that morning. At first I was still out of it enough that I just pulled my blanket closer around me and rolled over, but that didn't last long. Just before I closed my eyes again, I saw two men in each others faces, one with red glasses and the other with three metal claws popping out from his knuckles.

An image like that can wake you up pretty quickly.

I pushed the blanket away and sat up on the couch. Both men were yelling so loud, trying to speak over top of the other, that it was hard to make out what they were saying.

"You're really sick, she's just a kid! How dare you take advantage of her when-" Scott bellowed.

"You stupid bastard, I didn't do anything! I was just comforting her-"

"Comforting her?" Scott yelled, but Logan continued like he hadn't said anything at all.

"- when you decided to be a selfish idiot and leave her out in the cold! You can't take a few hours away from the ice bitch to spend with her. Hell, you didn't even have the guts to tell her you weren't coming, just left her out waiting for you!" Logan roared back. "She's your daughter! If Jean saw how you were treating her now-"

Logan was cut off as a glowing red beam hit him in the chest, throwing him back into a car windshield, shattering it. I smelt burnt hair and skin and heard a crack that sounded like a rib, but Logan still struggled to get out of the destroyed car. Scott ran at him and grabbed Logan by the front of his shirt before slamming him into another car door.

"DON'T YOU DARE BRING JEAN INTO THIS!" Scott screamed in the other man's face. "You sick bastard, first you hit on my wife, trying to steal her from me, and now this! Taking advantage of a little girl because she looks like her! Well I'll tell you something, animal, she's not Jean. You can't try again with Alanta, pretending to care about her to confuse her! You can't have her, you hear me?"

"Stop it!" I screamed, throwing up my hands. At once both men flew away from each other and up into the air. Their faces showed pure shock at seeing me, like they couldn't believe their yelling could wake someone. I stood up and walked slowly towards them, shaking.

My mind raced. It wasn't true. Logan wasn't trying to replace me with Jean, was he? He was just trying to be a father figure because Scott wasn't. I thought he cared about me, that I could trust him. H-he couldn't think of me that way.

"Is it true?" I asked quietly, my voice quivering.

"Kid, I-"

"Is it true?" I yelled. Tears leaked from my eyes but my face stayed hard.

Logan didn't answer. I took that as a yes. I could have went into his mind and found out easily what he was really thinking, but I didn't want to see the mind of that sick animal.

I turned my attention to Scott.

"Why didn't you come? Do you really hate me that much? Do you know what I felt, waiting out there for you and knowing that you weren't coming?" I asked him.

"Alanta, I'm sorry." Scott said. I wondered if it was sincere because I obviously know nothing about people's true feelings.

"Why didn't you come?" I repeated the question. Saying 'I'm sorry' meant nothing, answers did.

Scott actually looked like he struggled to remember why he left me out there waiting.

"I-I don't remember." He said finally. Logan looked like he was going to start yelling at him, but I silenced him mentally.

_Don't. You lost the right to even try to pretend to care._ I whispered into his mind harshly.

"I hate you. Both of you, so much." I said in a monotone voice the same moment I let them drop to the floor.

I turned and gripped the work bench tightly, trying to control my tears. When I turned back, the two men stared at me from the floor. I looked away from them and flew above them and through an open door.

Maybe if I'd been paying attention, I would have noticed that both Logan and Scott were still staring at the spot that I had been standing prior, and at the black smoking hand marks on the workbench's wooden surface.

xXx

Emma Frost was enjoying her breakfast on her and Scott's apartment patio. Though the latté and warm fresh chocolate muffin were nothing compared to the happiness that came with seeing Alanta flying out of the garage doors with tears streaming from her eyes.

_Aw, poor poppet, has someone upset you? _Emma thought gleefully as she went to stand at the balcony rail. She leaned forward on the railing and took another delicate sip from her latté. _Damn Emma, you are good._

True last night's attempts to drive that little redheaded bitch away were a bust, but how was she suppose to know the mind witch had such protection? And than that burly animal had helped her, making her think that someone cared about her. Well, that was easily fixed this morning.

It was easy to manipulate Scott, it always was. Especially because his own emotions from hearing that Logan had spent the night with his daughter in the garage made him vulnerable. The fact that he didn't meet Alanta for their engagement meant nothing considering he had no memories of last night (thanks to the almighty powers of the one and only Ice Queen) and his hatred for Logan was a great help. Logan's mind was harder to manipulate, but she was still able to increase his emotions and cut off his control so he couldn't reply to Alanta.

It was all so easy it was almost boring.

But something still troubled Emma. She scowled down at her cup as she thought more about the interference last night. It kept her up all night worrying her, but with the smoothness of this morning's plan had made her at ease.

_How the hell did she block my mind powers? She's just a kid! _Emma wondered. It was so odd, at first she had her in her power completely, but then things went down hill. She felt her grip on the girl's mind start to slip. In the Astral Plane she felt her fingers burn as she kept her grip on the girl's mind, making her withdraw. It was like there was a protective ring of fire around her mind and it took Emma a few moments before she could even try controlling her mind again. She fought the fire to regain control, but she lost. She came back from the Plane with a headache that felt like it was on fire.

Emma was still pondering this when she saw the most terrifying sight. She dropped her coffee cup and cursed.

But it all made sense now, all of it. Because of this image she saw now. Of course Emma wasn't a stupid woman and she had her theory from last night's fire, but she never really considered it.

Alanta was still in view from the window, flying towards the grassy hills on the Xavier property. Only now she was seen inside a giant bird made of fire.

_Emma!_

The mental shout made Emma turn away from the majestic but wrong vision to see Charles Xavier glaring at her from his wheelchair.

_You went too far this time Emma,_ Xavier said to her before all went dark for the Ice Queen.

xXx

_*So what did you guys think? Please review! I'm open to suggestions!_


	20. Chapter 20

xXx

_Just thought I'd take a chance to thank all my readers and reviewers! You guy don't even know how much it means to me that people take the time to read my stories, so thanks, to all of you! And__I decided to do these little thank yous to all reviewers for every chapter. __I hope you're all enjoying the story and that you know that I'm open to ideas from others._

**Zara: **Hey Zarra! I just hope 'wow' means you like the story

**Kstar101: **Thanks, I promise to try and up date sooner from now on

**HP: **Thank you!

**L: **Haha, lets blame Emma for **everything**! :P Hope you keep reading and reviewing

**PheonixRebornFromTheAshes****: **Thanks! I really appreciate how you've reviewed twice

**PrimeTymeAllstar: **X-men fans unite! I'm glad you like it and that you like how I'm doing X-men. Hope I'm doing it justice!

**Storyteller222****: **Thanks for the reviews! And I hope I answered your questions before.

**: **Hope the story met your expectations! I really want to hear from you again ;)

**Nileena: **Hope your still curious and reading!

xXx

I fell out of the sky, just free falling. The wind weaved quickly through my short hair, while the skin on my face pulled back slightly. It was scary, falling, but also thrilling. If I didn't pull up in approximately eight seconds I would crash into the ground, killing me instantly.

Not have to deal with these people any more, no longer worry about the family I didn't have, eternal piece…

Despite this thoughts, I used my powers to pull up just in time and soar back into the sky. I did a small flip in mid air before landing gently on a thick branch of the tree I had been aiming for. I took deep breaths as pulled my knees up to my chest.

_I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them I hate them-_

"Nice landing." I heard a male voice say below me. I was so startled that I nearly fell out of the tree. When I regained my balance, I looked below me to see Peter Rasputin sitting on the grass. He looked like he was about to try and catch me. It wasn't until I sat on the branch with no sign of shakiness did he lean back against the tree trunk.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I thought you knew I was here." He apologized with a cute smile.

_If I knew anyone was here, I wouldn't have come._ I thought to myself.

"I didn't mean to interrupt you; I'll go." I said coolly, getting up to fly off again, somewhere farther this time.

"No, you don't have to go. You're not bothering me." Peter said, standing up, his collar bones came up to my branch. I started to flinch away, to take off, but he put a large hand on my arm, holding me. "Please, stay."

I pulled away from his hand, but didn't leave. I had enough with jerks pretending to care.

"I wouldn't think you came all the way up here for company." I retorted. I was being a real bitch, but if that was what it takes to keep someone away, than that's what I'd have to do.

"You're right, I did come here to be alone for a bit. I decided awhile back not to do any real art in the mansion when a certain firecracker accidently lit a month's work on fire. This is a good spot, inspiring. There was a spot like this at home." Peter told me. "But I'm done for the day on this project, and company would be nice."

"Trust me, I'm not the best company right now." I said, staring straight ahead.

Peter finally stopped smiling. "Are you all right?"

"No." I blurted out before I could control myself. I felt a tear escape from my eye. I quickly interrupted before Peter could say something like 'do you need to talk?'. "I'm fine, just being stupid."

Peter shrugged, not perusing further. We sat in quiet. I tried to keep my thoughts from what happened in the garage and how stupid I had been. And where I was going from here.

I looked at the canvas Peter had been working on. It was really well done. For such big hands it was hard to believe that he'd have that much control over a paintbrush. I wondered who taught him to paint so beautifully.

The painting wasn't complete yet, but there was enough done that I could easily see the picture.

The painting was of a young blonde girl with pale skin and blue eyes like Peter's. She was in a classy coat, not long enough to cover a deep red dress she wore. Her white stockings almost blended in with the snowy background, but Peter had done a good job of making both have such different texture that you could tell the difference. In her hand was a rose the same colour as her dress. She had a very pretty, delicate smile.

"That's really good, your painting I mean. I wish I could paint like that." I said to Peter.

"Thank you. I am sure you could do just as well if you had some practice." Peter said back, seeming to be happier now that I wasn't being so cold to him. With a guy like this, you feel bad about being mean to him, but then you remember what happens when you let people in.

"Who is she?" I asked.

"My little sister, Ilayna." I wasn't sure if it was because he wanted to change the topic or if he was genuinely curious, but either way he asked. "So Rogue, is she alright?"

I looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"

"Well, its just last night I saw her muttering to herself in the kitchen then she punched a hole in the wall. Does she-usually do things like that?"

_That's weird, Rogue seemed okay when I left last night. Quiet and a little withdrawn, but she gets like that sometimes. What would set her off?_

"I'm not sure, I wasn't with her last night. But no, she doesn't usually punch holes in the wall." Remembering how much she hated people talking about her, I felt guilty. I should have changed the subject as soon as she was brought up. I suck as a friend.

"You're not going to go around telling people are you?" I asked, a hint of warning in my voice.

"Of course not. I was just concerned, that's all. She seemed upset." Peter actually sounded a little hurt that I would suggest that he would do such a thing. I never heard of Peter gossiping around the school, that was more Jubilee's job; so I guess I could trust him about this.

_What a sweet guy. _I couldn't help but think. _That is, if he's telling the truth._

"Can I draw you?" The question pulled me from my thoughts, catching me by surprise.

"Pardon?" I asked.

Peter blushed slightly. "Forgive me, sometimes I blurt things out without really thinking. That must sound like a very odd request, doesn't it? Its just-the way you flew here and the way the sunlight and wind played in your hair, it was all quite beautiful. Inspiring, really. If you don't mind, and it's completely fine if you say no, I'll understand, I was wondering if I could draw you?"

"Um," _This is weird. But what harm could it do? Plus I want to see him drawing, to see if he's as good at drawing as he is painting. _"Sure, I guess."

Peter smiled at me, which to my annoyance made my heart do summersaults. "Great!"

He fished a sketch pad out of a brown leather satchel bag beside him and took a pencil from behind his ear that I hadn't noticed before.

"So, er, what should I do?" I asked, feeling awkward.

"Just sit facing me, anyway you are comfortable." Peter replied. "But don't cry, okay?"

I stiffened. I don't cry! Well, that much anyway. Damn this place for turning me into such a whiney sissy!

"Well excuse me, not every girl has the ability to look beautiful while crying." I sassed, thinking that the reason he made such a request was because he didn't want a model with red puffy eyes.

"Hmm?" Peter looked up from his pad. "Oh no, that's not what I meant! Some of the best subjects and pieces of work are of people crying, I just don't like it when you cry. You look beautiful when you cry, but what's the point of capturing that beauty if you aren't happy? You are just as stunning when you smile."

It took Peter a moment to realize what he said. He looked up at me in horror.

"I'm sorry! I don't mean to sound like a stalker, I just meant, from an artist's view, I mean-" Peter tried to explain.

I smiled at him, cutting him off. He smiled back at me, making my heart flip again.

_Knock it off, moron! _I silently told the stupid organ.

Its true that I like Peter. He was handsome, smart, talented, kind hearted. I sort of had a crush on him since that first dinner here. AS much as I wanted to take joy in how he was treating me, I still knew I couldn't trust myself. I tried to give Scott a chance because I thought he'd care about me. I trusted Logan and felt like he was a father to me. I loved Victor Creed like he was my family. Every single time I let someone have a part of me, trusted and cared about them, I messed up. Scott doesn't give a damn about me, never will. Logan has some sick delusion that I'm my mother and he can finally be with her through me. And Creed, he locked me away from the world and took my freedom, so he could use me.

So I can't make the mistake again of giving myself away. I can't lose any more parts of me.

I'm not sure how much longer we stayed out there. I lost track of time and my thoughts. It was Peter who pulled me back.

"Done." He announced. He stood up, groaning slightly because his giant leg had gone to sleep. He roughly shook it, leaning against the tree for balance. He then handed me the pad. "So what do you think?"

I raised my eyebrows, impressed at what Peter had done. He had drawn the tree along with the branch I sat on, with my head tilted slightly instead of looking off the page straight and my knees pulled up to my chest. I couldn't believe what a good job of shading and detail he had done; he couldn't have been drawing more than twenty minutes. Though he left everything else in pencil, he added blue colour for my eyes, a vibrant red for my short hair and a deep red for my lips. At first the colouring looked a little strange, but after a few moments of gazing at it I decided I liked it.

"This is amazing." I said handing him back the pad. "Are you going to go away to be an artist after high school?"

"I'm not sure." Peter admitted. He picked up a red colouring pencil and added to the drawing as he talked. "I'd like to continue my art, but I feel a responsibility to be an X-man. I want to help people with my gifts, especially children in countries with few mutants so they do not know what is happening to them. In the farming collective in Russia, half my neighbors thought I was a demon, I did too. I had no knowledge of mutants, so I had no idea what I was. I don't want others to feel like they are 'wrong' as I did. But pretty much every student here wishes to join the team, so there is a small chance that I would be chosen to join."

_If X-man doesn't pan out, he could always join the Brotherhood. He could still help people. Though I'm not sure if Peter would be up for being called a terrorist, or Magneto's methods._

"So what about you? Do you know what you want to do once you leave?" Peter asked.

I thought for a moment before answering. Seeing as I though I was leaving today, I should probably make a plan. I can't go back to the Brotherhood, knowing what Creed did to me by kidnapping me and faking my death. Plus it would mean that I would be a prisoner once more. Maybe hide out in Canada? It seemed like a good place. But what would I do for money? Food, shelter-

I realized that Peter was still waiting for an answer, so I made one up on the spot.

"Uh, probably a police woman." _Whoa, where did that answer come from?_

"Really?" Peter asked, sounding interested.

"Yeah. I could use my training for the law, help mutants who are wrongly accused because of their genetics." I continued lying. "Plus I'd always know who is lying, guilty, and see the minds of victims so I can catch those who wronged them. Perk of being a psychic."

_The fact that I was raised on the other side of the law withstanding…_

"That is an amazing idea. Hardly anyone at this school thinks they can do anything but be an X-man because they're mutants, but you found a way to use your powers, help mutants, and not wear tights." Peter beamed at me.

"Yeah…" The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea myself. I slipped from the tree and landed in a cat like pose. Unsurely, I sat beside Peter to watch him draw.

"You know, some artist think its unlucky to have people watch them work." Peter said absently.

"Oh yeah? And what do you think?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"That most artist use that as a dramatic way to say that people are in their light."

I laughed and looked closer at the drawing. He just added one thing to the paper, something I found a little strange. Behind my stretched giant blazing wings, almost like swan wings. I thought it was weird, but beautiful. I guess he added them for artistic flair.

"The picture was nice enough without those." I told him.

"Pardon?" Peter asked, not looking up from the pad.

"Those wings." I pointed them out. "You didn't have to add them."

"I think they make the picture. Your wings were actually what made me want to draw you so bad before." Peter told me as he added some more red to the fiery wings, making them seem more realistic.

I frowned, was he trying to be a dramatic artist or something, saying I had wings?

"Uh, I don't have wings."

"No, not while I was drawing you, but when you were flying you did. They were magnificent."

"No, I mean, I never had wings. Not even when I fly." Peter looked at me uncertainly. Slowly a look of fear grew on his face. He quickly shoved his art supplies into his bag and jumped up, pulling me with him.

"We'd better get you to the Professor." He said, fear in his voice. I could sense distress radiating from him, too much off it to hear his thoughts.

"What?" I tried to pull from him grip, but he was too strong. Giving up trying to fight his grip, I tried a different tactic. "Peter, Peter! Peter!"

He finally realized I was calling his name and stopped.

"What is the matter? Why do we have to see the Professor?" I asked, backing away from him. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on."

"Alanta, your wings, don't you see what the mean?" Seeing no recognition coming over my face, Peter asked. "Its just like what happened to Professor Jean."

I frowned, what was he talking about?

"What happened to her?" I asked.

"Nobody told you how she died?"

xXx

"Aren't they back with the food yet?" Zach moaned, rubbing his stomach with four of his six arms. The other two arms were occupied with lifting heavy dumbbells.

"Just calm yerself! They'll be back soon." Another mutant with a lion's mane and eyes growled at his partner.

Quicksilver rubbed his temples and ground his teeth, not for the first time regretting his choice of companions for this mission. If he had the Brotherhood members at his command instead of these immature stupid Brotherhood wannabes, they would have already got Alanta back and he would be in his father's good books again.

Their success rate so far was very low. It was hard traveling crosscountry with no wheels and even harder when they were a bunch of mutants. Sure they could use their powers to help them, but they had trouble hitch hiking and buying supplies because the petty homo sapiens feared them and kept calling the cops on them. They weren't the most inconspicuous bunch either, most of them being known wanted criminals. For Christ's sake, they were hiding in a forest!

"Eh mon amis, the food is here!" A Cajun voice called, making Pietro shudder.

He hated the smooth talking southern man with a passion. He took nothing seriously, was unreliable for their mission, was lazy, and kept flirting with his sister! His advanced thief skills and bio-kinetic charging abilities were the only thing that kept him around. Well, that and the fact that he was the only one who knew the location of Xavier's school.

Quicksilver felt a pat on his shoulder and looked up to see Gambit's grinning face.

"Pizza?" Gambit asked cockily, waving a slice of greasy pizza under the speed demon's nose. Sometimes Pietro thought the thief knew how much he hated him, and did this sort of thing to piss him off.

Pietro shoved the pizza slice away and walked away from the group's fire, not even dignifying the annoying man with an answer.

"Somebody get up on the wrong side of the sleeping bag dis morn'n, no?" Gambit joked behind Pietro's back to the other mutants before taking a seat beside Wanda.

"Leave him be Gambit, he's having a hard time with all of this." Wanda said. Even though she scolded him, she still allowed them older boy to wrap a masculine arm around her.

"He thinks' he's got it tough, he doesn't have to listen to himself! Man, its bad enough that he giving us orders right left and center, but at least one of them could lead to success." Zach said as he grabbed slices of pizza with every hand.

"Does he know what he's doing? Does he have a plan?" A mutant with the ability to charge and decrease other's mutant powers asked openly, looking around at the others for an answer.

Jamie who was leaning against a tree a little way from the others shook his head. He knew that his friend was way over his head, but he was hoping that the others wouldn't notice. Even if the Cajun ever actually got them to the School, what would be the chances that they could save Alanta? What if she didn't need saving?

Maybe it was time for another little talk with Pietro…

Jamie walked towards the bush that he saw Pietro storm off to. He squinted, having trouble seeing in the dark and was about to call his friend's name when he heard a strangled gasp.

"Please, I'm trying my bes-"

"Well yer best isn't good enough, is it boy?" Jamie heard a familiar growl and crawled toward a little clearing. Under the cover of some dogwood, he saw Victor Creed, Sabertooth, holding the white haired teen by the throat against a tree.

"You and yer useless little gang aren't any closer ta getting Wildcat back!"

"We don't know where to go. We're suppose to be being led by that Cajun but he's-"

"Enough excuses!" Jamie winced as Creed slammed Pietro's head against the tree. Creed let the boy go, letting him slid down the tree. "I'll show you the way, even get your pathetic group a ride. But then ya'd better put up enough of a distraction so I can get her out of there."

Creed crouched down so he could whisper the last part in Pietro's ear. "No more screw ups, no more complaining, no more distractions. Or else I might get mad. And when I get mad, I like ter take it out on someone."

Creed stood back up and started to fad into the trees, but both boys heard the last part he said loud and clear. "Yer sister, Wanda? Hate to see anything happen ter her pretty little neck."

Once he was sure Creed was gone, Jamie ran to Pietro's side. He could see a trickle of blood running through his friend's pale hair and how much he shacked in the dark.

"Tro, are you okay man?" Jamie helped the boy sit up.

"No more distractions." Pietro said shakily. "Get the others to pack up, we're going to travel farther tonight."

"But Tro-"

"Shut up! I'm in charge alright? We have to do this." Pietro tried to stand. "We can't afford not to."

xXx


	21. Chapter 21

xXx

"Peter, Peter!" I yelled hitting the large boy's back as hard as I could. Unfortunately, it did little good. Even out of his Colossus form, his muscles kept him pretty well shielded. "Put me down you great lummox!"

_Okay, now I'm getting pissed off. _I thought, my face bright red.

Peter said something about my mum, about how she died. He didn't say how, he just asked if I knew. The next thing I know I'm being slung over his shoulder like a bag of potatoes and being carried back towards the mansion! What the hell? He refused to answer me or comply to my demands to be put down, he just muttered about getting me to the Professor and the Med Bay.

_Alright, enough of this._ I decided. I squirmed a little to loosen Peter's grip on me (I guess he thought I was being hurt or something because there should be no way that I could loosen his super strength grip on me if he didn't want to). The moment I had enough room I used my telekinesis to jet out of his arms and into the air.

There I hovered out of his reach as he looked up at me in shock.

"I'm not going anywhere with you until you tell me what's going on!" I said firmly. "What happened to Jean Grey, and why do you think the same thing will happen to me?"

"Aly-" Peter started, then stepped back from me. "Just look at yourself."

I looked down at myself and nearly fell out of the sky when I looked down at myself. Luckily we were close to the stables so I quickly landed on the roof top. I skidded a little, but once I had my balance I looked down at Peter, trying to keep the fear from my voice.

"What's wrong with me? Is this a second mutation or…?" I whispered, examining my arm. Bright flames rippled over my arm, spiking in some areas. I looked down at the rest of me to see the same thing happening over the rest of my body. The flames didn't hurt me, but it- it still scared the hell out of me. The flames were like in my dream. Still offering all the things as it had before, but now it seemed even more powerful more…tempting.

Peter came closer to the roof. As tall as he was, I was still out of his reach.

"I don't think I'm the right person to tell you. If you'd just let me take you to the Professor, or Mr. Summers-"

"Neither of them will tell me the truth. Either because they're trying to protect me or, I don't even know. You're the only one I trust to tell me the truth Peter." My eyes met and held his, until he sighed and looked away.

_And if you don't tell me, I'll take the truth from you. _I thought.

"Not many of the students knew what was happening to her. What happened to her. They heard rumors and saw some of what happened on her last night, but they don't know for sure." Peter murmured, not looking at me.

"So you don't know." I felt my chest tighten.

"I-I'm not saying that. I know, sort of. But I don't understand it." Peter admitted. "It all started after she came back from a mission with the X-men, started acting…different. More reckless, I guess. Sometimes she wouldn't show up for her classes or would go off on mission on her own. She started losing control over her powers. She could hear everyone's thoughts without trying and she couldn't block out anything. Things would just start flying around her whenever she entered a room. She withdrew herself from everyone, even Mr. Summers."

_Is that when he started getting involved with Emma Frost? What does any of this have to do with me? I haven't been acting that way, so why does he think-_

"I went to the Danger Room to get her. The communications with the Room were down and she wasn't answering the telepathic signals. I volunteered to go find her, and when I did- well, it was pretty bad." Peter said.

I waited, but he didn't continue.

"What was it Peter?" I prodded gently.

"S-she was in mid air, and around her was a fiery bird. A phoenix. She was where the heart was supposed to be. She wasn't burning, but she was crying really bad. When I tried to talk to her, it was like she was a completely different person. Her face showed no emotion and she was talking strangely."

"I'm not sure what really happened after that, I think she knocked me out. A third of the school was burned, a lot of students hurt, and they told me Jean was dead. I heard a rumor that she was possessed by an almighty entity called the Phoenix, and that they being wanted to recreate the world. The X-men, they, tried to stop her, but she was too powerful. When Jean took control and realized what was happening, she killed herself so the Phoenix would die with her. No one else was telephathically powerful enough to be a host."

I thought about what Peter was telling me and I began shaking with pure fear.

"I'm so sorry Aly." Peter said.

I knew what he was saying he was sorry for. It was nothing he did, but rather just a was of showing sympathy.

The Phoenix was a monster, one that wanted to destroy our world so she could recreate it. My mother couldn't stop it, and had to kill her self to save everyone.

And the same thing was happening to me.

xXx

"How could you do this, Emma?" Scott bellowed.

Emma Frost rolled her eyes. "You're being dramatic dear, you're making a big deal over nothing.

Scott, Logan, Emma and the Professor were in Xavier's office. The Professor had summoned the two men up to his office the moment he realized what Emma had done. Scott listened in horror to the story Xavier told him, about how his girlfriend had manipulated his mind so that he would forget all about the plans he had with his daughter last night. Scott knew Emma had a shady past, but he never suspected that she'd do this to him.

Xavier forced Emma to stay in her diamond form so that she could not use her other mutant powers on them. And despite her current situation, she was very calm. Something that made Xavier uneasy.

"Guess I owe you an apology, about before." Logan muttered at Scott. "But this one instance where you had an excuse for how you treated Alanta doesn't make up for how you've been ignoring her before."

Scott wheeled around to look at Emma again. "This isn't the first time you've done this, is it? Tell me the truth Emma!"

Emma examined her nails before answering. "No, this wasn't the first time. But I can't take credit for what a douche you've been to that little bitch, that was all your doing, darling."

Scott's face paled and he turned away from her once again. He knew what a lousy father he's been, but he was hoping that it had been Emma's influence. Apparently he couldn't blame everything on her.

"What's going to happen to her, Professor?" Scott asked Xavier.

Xavier sighed before answering. "I'm afraid Emma, you're going to have to leave. You've been manipulating my teachers and my students. You're behavior from last night was completely inappropriate."

He wheeled closer to her and lowered his voice. "You're getting off lucky Miss Frost considering what I know you tried to do last night."

The Professor knew more about what happened last night than what he told his two X-men. If they knew that Emma had used her power at a level that could have caused severe brain damage, even he probably couldn't stop them from physically harming Emma.

Emma sneered at the older man. "Fine, I'll go. Not having to deal with bratty moody teenagers, never having any quiet time and having to _work_. What a great punishment, old man, I'm sure that will teach me a lesson."

Xavier didn't respond, but watched Emma with cold blue eyes as she walked towards the door.

"Scott, aren't you coming?" Emma asked in a fake sweet voice, making Scott grinded his teeth. Had she been able to use her powers, she would have made Scott come following her like a puppy.

_Oh well, I can collect him later. _Emma thought, leaving the room.

Scott sat down shakily, putting his head in his hands. He wondered if anything he and Emma had was real. And how he was going to make this up to Alanta.

"How could I have been such an idiot?" Scott shaking his head in shame.

Logan opened his mouth to answer, but Xavier put a hand on his arm to stop him from continuing. Clandestinely, Xavier thought Scott had been very foolish, but he was privately kicking himself for even letting Emma into his school in the first place. He honestly thought she had changed.

Xavier wheeled his chair over to Scott and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Don't be too hard on yourself. The main plan of action now is to make things up to Aly, and now you don't have the excuse of Emma to stop you." Xavier told the younger man. "I'm afraid Aly is soon to go through something that she'll need all the help she get."

Before Scott could ask what he meant, Xavier spoke again.

"I believe Aly has found something of interest in the basement, I think you should go to her." Xavier said before leaving the office.

Logan started to walk after the Professor, morning. "Better not mess this part up Cykes. I probably have no chance to make things up to the kid, but you do."

Logan looked back from the door, "Don't blow it."

xXx

Emma looked up at the mansion one more time, cursing everyone in it. She could feel Xavier keeping an eye on her, so she couldn't do any real damage. At least, not yet.

Emma smiled to her self as she turned to get in her car. She thought a few old associates of hers would like to know of the Phoenix's return.

xXx

**bryan: **_Thanks Bryan! I'm glad you like the story _

**imaninja41****:** _D: I hope you're not dead, I haven't written in awhile! Sorry, I'll try to have updates sooner, now that I have some free time. Whoo,Christmas Break!_

**HP**: _Thanks!_

**Kstar 101:**_ Thanks, I'm glad you like it! And I can write so much because I have no life :P My Christmas break is pretty much taken over by homework unfortunately so I don't really get to do anything __ Oh well, merry X-mas!_

**Storyteller222:** _Thanks, hope you keep reading!_

**Shimigami King****:** _I feel like a complete bitch! I totally forgot to thank you in my last update, so sorry! And no, Alanta and Hope are completely different people. I actually haven't read the series with Hope in it yet _

Thanks everybody for reviewing! Merry Christmas, I hope you guys continue to read and review.


	22. Chapter 22

xXx

I walked down the dusty hallway, taking my time and taking in everything. I was in no hurry, and by the looks of things, no one had come down here in awhile so I won't be bothered.

I had told Peter that I needed to be alone for a bit. At first he argued, saying that I really needed to go to the MedBay and see the Professor as soon as possible, but one sad look from me and he agreed to let me be alone. He gave me a hug (once I came off the stable's roof) and told me that if I needed anything, even just to talk to someone, he'd be there.

Such a sweet guy. I used to have dreams about marrying a nice guy like him, having a home, a career, kids. A life. Too bad it seems like I'm going to die (or become possessed by some all powerful firebird, which ever happens first) before I have a chance to have any of those things.

Death, I never really thought about it before. With the Brotherhood, there was always death, it was a part of life. But I never put two and two together to realize that everyone can die. Even me.

_But none of that explains why I'm d__own here in this basement. _I reminded myself. Realizing you're going to die (possibly soon) doesn't usually inspire people to go investigate abandoned basements.

I stopped walking down the hall. _What am I doing?_

I started to turn back but- something stopped me. Something deep inside of me. It was a feeling, a lot like the one I got when I went to that mall, but also like when I sense the fire in my dreams and now in my reality.

I continued walking again.

xXx

Rogue sat on the window seat, curled up with the new book Logan bought her. It was the weekend, so she didn't have any classes and her homework was already finished. Rahne was still in the MedBay from her 'adventure' the night before and Kurt was with her. She hadn't seen Aly since before she left to meet Scott. The room was hers to enjoy be herself, something that rarely happened.

She sighed and curled up her toes with pleasure. It was getting to the part in the story where the girl training to be a sorceress is visited late at night by her thief friend from the city.

Rogue sat up, now reading out loud. She felt a little silly, but her friends weren't going to be back anytime soon, she was alone, and this was her favorite part of the story.

"Jasper crept through her window, quiet and swift as a shadow. Even if Annica wasn't absorbed in her study books, she still probably would have not noticed him. Jasper smiled cockily at his own skills. At first he had only come into Annica's room to prove he could do it without her noticing, but now, looking at the way her hair shimmered in the moonlight and how serene she looked when studying, something over came him." Rogue said, her face inches from the page as she walked around her room. "He crept up behind her with the grace of a cat, and gently touched the back of her smooth neck. He was so gently that the young sorceress merely shivered, still concentrating on her books. Jasper's boldness grew. He now leaned down to kiss her fair- ah!"

Rogue suddenly stopped reading, feeling someone's hot minty breath on her neck. She threw the book away from her before spinning around to face someone she never thought she'd see again.

"You," Rogue rasped backing away. "How did you, why are- you."

Gambit stepped out of the shadows and grinned cockily, the same smile that Rogue always imagined when reading about the fictional Jasper the thief. Much like the character, the Cajun was a thief, cocky, bold, charming, and handsome. Unfortunately, Rogue knew that she and him could never have the happy ending Jasper and Annica have, not after what he did to her.

"Hello cher, its been awhile." He said, his voice making her arms come out in goosbumps. The Rogue didn't know if that was a good or bad sign.

"Get out of here, get out!" Rogue yelled, picking up her novel and throwing it at him.

Gambit caught it with ease and pretended to skim through the book. Without looking up and while moving closer still to her, he said. "You always did like ta read cher. Never understood the appeal myself, but it made you happy. Remember that book Gambit got you?"

"Ah threw it in the fire," Rogue hissed. "The night you left."

"Well, that wasn't very nice." Gambit said calmly, not letting her attitude offend him. "How've you been?"

"How've Ah _been_?" Rogue yelled. "Are you seriously asking meh that? Especially now, on this day?"

Remy had a thoughtful look before it turned to that cute puppy look Rogue had always used to hate him using on her. "Uh, der something important bout today?"

Rogue realized now that she had started to cry. She turned away from the Cajun . "Just go, leave."

"Cher, why you crying?" Gambit's voice was caring as he walked up to her and placed his hands on her waist like he used to. "Its alright."

For one brief moment, Rogue relaxed in his arms. She felt safe and loved, like she had when he was with her and going to this school. But then her mind remembered how he left, how he kept on leaving, and how he…

"AH SAID GET OUT! AH DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU EVER AGAIN!" Rogue screamed, pushing him away from her.

Remy gave her a confused, hurt look.

"Alright cher, I'll get going then. I just-wanted to see you again." Remy said as he walked towards the open window. He turned back for only a moment. "I have a warning for you and your friend, Alanta. She's in danger. Some of dem Brotherhood clowns are coming for her, should be here in a few days. I'll try to slow em down, but I can't do much more than that."

Rogue spun towards the window in shock, hoping Remy would say it was all a joke or something. Maybe give some more information. But he was gone.

Rogue walked slowly to the window. She looked out it hoping to see a glimpse of Remy as he left, but like Jasper, he travels like a shadow. Not to be seen or heard if he doesn't want to be.

Rogue shuddered then ran out of the room to relay the warning.

xXx

I stood in front of a plain wooden door, my heart racing. I had pasted several doors like it while I walked around the old basement, this one not looking any more special than the others. But it _felt _special.

I had allowed the feeling inside of me to lead me here, just like I followed its lead to go to the mall and to go help the mutant boy losing control.

I took a deep breath and turned the doorknob.

Locked.

I actually laughed out loud about how stupid I was being. I was getting way too tense and laughing released the tension a little. Using my telekinesis I unlocked the door (one of the first skills I learned with my powers) and gently pushed it open.

I stepped inside the room a little warily and flipped the light switch. When I could finally see the room, I looked around in confusion.

It looked kind of like a nursery. At least, there was stuff in there that is usually in a nursery, but it wasn't set up and I doubt any sane person would raise a baby in a dusty old basement.

I walked forward and stroked the fine wooden crib, dust building up under my finger. _Why was I led here? _

The feeling in me was still strong, despite my confusion. I was about to leave when I felt the strangest thing. A warm breeze felt like it caressed my cheek, slightly urging me to turn.

I hadn't felt even the slightest draft since coming down here, but I didn't imagine what I felt. I was honestly creeped out, but I forced myself to turn in the direction of the breeze.

There wasn't anything really interesting when I turned around, just some old boxes and a dresser with a mirror. I walked towards it and picked up a musty smelling stuffed lion from one of the open boxes. I examined it before tossing it down on the dresser. The action made a cloud of dust fly into my face, causing a sneezing fit.

I swore, my eyes watering.

"Well, that was smart." I told myself sarcastically. Once I could actually see again, I continued looking through the old boxes. More stuffed animals, a mobile with stars and planets hanging from it, some baby clothes. I was about to look else where in the room but then I saw a snow globe resting in the box.

I gently brushed away some of the dust so I could really look at it. Inside looked to be a miniature replica of the Xavier grounds. Everything from the stables to the mansion was in the globe. I gently shook it so the snow would swirl around the glass globe. It was interesting, but the most interesting thing was on the bottom of the snow globe by the key that you could turn to make it play music, was something written in silver.

"Merry Christmas Alanta, love Grandfather." I traced the letters as I read the inscription.

Well, this explains why I had that feeling to come here, but I'm hardly any less confused.

I set down the snowglobe on the old dresser so that I could examine something else that was left down here. It was one of those old video recorders.

I sat down on the floor, transfixed on the recorder. The rest of this stuff was for a baby, so it makes sense that if you no longer had one that you'd put this stuff in storage. But a video recorder? That can be useful anytime. Maybe it was left down here by mistake?

I must have accidently turned it on with my fiddling because it made a sound and a green light came on. It was strange enough that the battery wasn't dead, but what was stranger was the monitor showed that there was something taking up memory space on the camera.

Gently I pulled the screen away so I could view the video.

There were a lot of videos still on the camera, all of them had Jean and Scott in them. And a small red headed blue eyed baby seemed to be the star of all the home videos. Me, I guess.

One of my christening, a family dinner with the X-men, the baby me being bathed (I don't care that it was a baby me, there was still too much butt showing for my comfort!), and one of Scott's birthday.

They were all so strange to see. My eyes were focused on Jean and Scott the whole time. They were so… in love. I never witnessed anyone acting like the way they did when I was growing up with the Brotherhood. They held hands, and were never very far from each other. They teased each other (mostly Jean teasing Scott) and talked to each other. And the way they looked at each other… I never saw whatever was in their eyes when one looked at the other before. It was kind of nice to know love existed in the world of so much hate.

What was stranger still was how people treated _me_. I was always being held by someone, never left alone for a second. Most of the time it was Scott holding me. They laughed when I did the simplest things, talked about how dear I was, did silly things to make me laugh. In the video of Scott's birthday, I started crying for no apparent reason and everyone came running at me, trying to comfort me. It was Scott who eventually got me to stop crying, by holding me close and waltzing around (the X-men teased him horribly, but he didn't seem to notice till after he gave me to Jean). Another time in the video,, Jean and Scott went off to dance and left me in the care of Hank. When they came back (with the camera in tow), he was explaining to me molecular biology. Of course I had no idea what he was talking about, but I watched him with awe on my face. Another scene of all the X-women dancing with me. Another of everyone laughing because I stuck my face in a slice of cake. The moments went on and on.

I had a family. I was loved. People cared about me.

And then it was all gone, never to come back.

"Alanta?" I jumped when I heard a male voice say behind me.

I quickly wiped my eyes before turning to see Scott Summers.

"Hi." He said. He wasn't as tense or distant as he usually was around me, which was strange. I might have enjoyed that more if I didn't suddenly remember how he stood me up the other night.

"Hi." I said unsurely. I put down the camera and stood up, walking towards the door. "Sorry, I know I shouldn't be in here. I'll go."

A hand on my shoulder stopped me.

"Wait Aly, we need to talk." Scott said.

"About what?" I replied coolly, all the while thinking _You're damn right we need to talk! Too bad we needed to talk months ago!_

"About…everything." Scott said. He then sat down on the dusty floor and motioned for me to sit beside him.

Unsurely, I sat down. Away from him.

He seemed to take that as acceptable. He sat with his back upright and straight, and was staring at me.

I shifted uncomfortably.

"You look so much like your mom. You're growing more and more like her each day, and not just in appearance." Scott said finally.

Before I could stop myself, I blurted out. "How would you know that? You avoid me at all costs and pretend that I don't exist."

Scott looked properly ashamed of himself. "I know. I'm sorry I've been so…distant."

"You better be." I muttered. I wasn't sure if he heard me.

I stood up. "You know what? It doesn't matter. I don't care if you don't care about me, I really don't. You just keep on living your perfect life and I'll get out of your hair."

"Aly, wait!" Scott stood too. He put both hands on my shoulders and tried to make me look at him. "I really am sorry. I know how cold I've been and that was wrong. I just didn't know how to…deal."

"Deal?" I now looked at him. "And how do you think I was? I grew up thinking I didn't have anyone and then suddenly when I think all that has changed, I'm wrong again because you didn't give a damn about me!"

Scott looked down and I sensed that he wanted to run away from me. To not have to deal with the hard truth and the difficulties, like he had been avoiding since I arrived here. But he fought his fear and stayed. I had to give him credit for that.

"I was wrong, and I'm sorry. But I want to make up for all the wrong I've done you, or at least try." He said. When I didn't answer, he continued. "You have every right to be mad and to hate me, but please try to understand. With your mother gone, I didn't think I could raise you properly. When you were small, it all seemed so natural. The love is still there, but I was completely lost when it came to raising a teenage daughter. And I was in shock."

I lowered my defenses a little.

"Those are pretty lame reasons." I said slowly. I saw Scott's shoulders slump and his instinct to run was growing once more. "But, but I want to try to be a family."

Scott pulled me close in a hug, hiding his face in my hair. At first I stiffened, not sure how to react. But then I just let go of my fears and hugged him back. One more time I began to cry, but this time it was because I had so much emotion running through me. Scott just held me closer.

If I hadn't been so wrapped up in the moment, I might have noticed the warm breeze from before swirl around the two of us, as if embracing us as well.

xXx

imaninja41: Hope I updated soon enough

Storyteller22: Thanks for the review!

P.S. Just a little fun fact I realized while writing today (when I should have been doing my biology homework, whoops), this story is over 100 pages on Microsoft word! Crazy. Anyway, it reminded me to thank every one of you guys who have put up with this story and have been reading all along. Thanks guys!


	23. Chapter 23

xXx

"You guys are making to big of a deal about this." I said exasperatedly to my friends as they looked on me with horror.

"We're making a big deal?" Rahne repeated. She was let out of the MedBay with a sprained wrist, a black eye, a split lip and a few stitches by her hair line. Despite her current state, she still had the strength to rant and yell at me. "Are you serious? One 'daddy-daughter date' and now you're moving in with him! What is wrong with you?"

I sighed and put my head on the box I was packing. After our talk, Scott asked me to move into his apartment (while students got rooms, the teachers all got private apartments). I was pretty shocked by it, but since we both promised to try to be a family, I accepted. Plus the ice bitch was gone so I wouldn't have to deal with her (life was looking good).

My friends didn't see it that way though.

"I think you are making a mistake frauline." Kurt said. Kurt had a broken tail from the fight and a few bruises since he tried to avoid the fight while Rahne through herself into it.

"Not you too Kurt! You were the one who was supposed to support me for this." I replied.

Kurt looked away from me and muttered something too quietly for me to hear, then teleported from our room. I looked at the smoky cloud where Kurt had sat moments before then at Rahne for an explanation.

"What did he say?" I asked her, hoping her enhanced wolf hearing had picked up what he said.

For the moment Rahne had lost her mad 'you're insane, don't come drying to me when things don't work out face' and replaced it with one of confusion.

"Uh, I might have heard wrong but I think he said, 'I thought Peter was the one you were supposed to support you.' Does that make sense to yo- oh no." Rahne's green eyes widened in realization. "You and Peter?"

I blushed and quickly resumed packing my books into the box again.

"Uh, no. We're not, well, we talked and- but no." I stuttered, not looking at her.

"And I thought he was gay." Rahne muttered to herself before punching me in the shoulder.

"Ow! Rahne!" I yelled, glaring at my friend.

"You think that hurt? I just remembered the stitches in my knuckles." Rahne said, cradling her hand. "I can't go to the MedBay for a few days without you going off and changing your entire life?"

"Just calm down! Peter and I are just friends. Less than that, considering we only talked a few times." I said, wishing she would let this go. I guess I sort of lied, considering the secret I was making Peter keep for me and how we bonded, but I wasn't about to tell her that. "I don't know why Kurt thinks we are involved. And I need to try to make things work with Scott. I know he's been a jerk but I have to give him a chance."

I heard an almost inaudible sniff and looked up from my packing in shock to see Rahne turning away from me with watery eyes. I dropped the book in my hand and hurried over to her. I made her look up at me.

"Rahne! What's wrong?" I asked. I kind of suck at comforting, it came with growing up with the Brotherhood.

"You! You jerk!" Rahne answered punching me in the shoulder again only to grab her hand in pain. Instead of making fun of her, I waited for her to explain. "Its just- I can't- I hate you."

I patted her shoulder in sympathy, giving her time.

"I just wish you knew." She sighed.

I held up my hand to her forehead, giving her a look as if asking permission. At first she looked horrified, which slowly turned into mild fear as she nodded. I touched her forehead and closed my eyes.

This was the first time I was in Rahne's mind. She was fighting urges of a wolf while trying to decrease her enhanced senses. The slightness noise made her want to go completely still until she knew what it was, and she breathed through her mouth so she wouldn't have to smell the entire boy's floor below us. I never knew she had this internal struggle going on all the time. I pushed away to her emotions.

_She's feeling abandoned. She knows that we'll still see each other, but by me choosing to move out and possibly getting a boyfriend, she can't help but feel scared. She's also jealous that I'm getting a second chance with my father, when she doesn't. _

I pulled my mind from hers. She looked at me and shrugged. I didn't know what to say so I just hugged her, hoping that it would help with all the fear and sadness she was feeling.

xXx

"Yah're kidding meh, right?" Rogue asked, looking between the two men.

Rogue had just told the Professor and Mr. Summers (actually, she would have preferred just telling the Professor, but Cyclops was in the room and he didn't tell him to leave) about the warning she received concerning Alanta. To her shock, they both asked her not to tell Alanta.

"Rogue, please try to see this through our point of view." Professor Xavier asked, leaning forward. "You could have been misinformed when your source told you this and we would upset Alanta for no reason."

"How reliable is your source?" Mr. Summers asked skeptically.

Rogue grinded her teeth. She didn't tell the two teachers that it was Gambit, their ex-student and her ex-boyfriend that brought her the warning.

"Reliable enough that Ah would come all the way here and wait for two hours to tell yah." Rogue replied. Seeing the look the Professor was giving her, she added. "Sir."

"Its not that we don't believe you Rogue, we're just being cautious." Professor Xavier tried more diplomatically.

"It still doesn't make sense not to tell her." Rogue muttered.

Professor Xavier wheeled around his desk to Rogue and put a hand on her shoulder. "Please trust us to do what's best for Alanta. If in the future we see that its in her best interest to tell her then we will. I promise."

_Damn him for using his nice and social skills on me. _Rogue thought.

"Alright Professor, Ah won't say anything." Rogue sighed, getting up to leave. As she opened the doors of the office, she remebered something. "Oh, but she's a telepath. Ah might be thinking of it or somethang and-"

Professor Xavier raised a hand to silence her. "I think Alanta has a bit more control than that but I did put a mental safety to hid this, just in case."

"Okay," Rogue said, not sure how she felt about that. Deciding to just let it go, she waved goodbye to her two teachers.

As soon as Rogue had left the room, Scott turned to Xavier.

"Why would the Brotherhood be after Alanta?" Scott asked.

Xavier sighed. "I'm really not sure. I suppose she could have been involved with them some how before she came here."

"She's the daughter of two X-men!" Scott replied, shocked.

Xavier raised an eyebrow at the younger man before he answered. "Which she didn't know."

Scott accepted that. But this got him to wondering where and what was Alanta doing for almost sixteen years. Of course he thought about this before, but for some reason he always changed his thought topic when it came up. He supposed that was Emma's doing.

He should probably talk to Alanta about this, now that they were trying to be closer.

"We'll double the security and have the teachers doing rounds. If we can get the students out of the halls earlier, that would make things easier. Perhaps if we say there's a new curfew because of the pudding incident involving Mr. Drake and his friends?" Xavier thought out loud. "We'll think of something. And we need to have someone with Alanta at all times, just in case."

"I think I'll be able to take care of that for the most part, she's moving in with me tomorrow so I'll be able to watch over her." Scott said.

Xavier looked up at Scott and smiled. He wasn't sure what exactly happened when the two were down in the storage basement, but he was glad that they were giving each other a chance.

"You can go ahead, I'm sure there are still things for you to do to get ready for Alanta to move in. I will consult the others about the new security changes." Xavier said. Scott gave a brief nod before leaving.

Finally alone, Xavier turned to the window, thinking.

_Alanta, what are you hiding from?_

xXx

"So after almost a year of no contact, you come in here claiming that you have found the Phoenix." Selene, the Black Queen, drawled skeptically. The rest of the Lords of Cardinal looked on from their seats.

Emma Frost had to bite her tongue to prevent her from saying something that would cost her. Before she went on the mission to infiltrate the X-men's school and kidnap Jean so the Hellfire Club would control the power of the Phoenix, she sat on the throne that Selene looked oh too comfortable in. She was the White Queen! How dare they do this to her!

Of course, when Jean offed herself and she had the choice of coming back to them empty handed and a failure or to stay at the Institute and play teacher with the hot Scott Summers she had abandoned them, Emma remembered.

But still…

"I think we have forgotten the purpose of this meeting." Emma said coolly. "I told you I can bring you the power of the Phoenix and you ridicule me about the past. May we move on to our future?"

_Like me sitting on my throne and the Black bitch's corpse floating face down in some dark river..._

_*You do realize that I'm a telepath and can hear you, right?* _The cold voice of Selene rang through Emma's head, though her face stayed blank.

"This is a waste of our time." Harry Leland declared. Emma sneered at him, it was a bold thing for someone as lowly as a _rook _to say about someone who was once the queen.

Sebastian Shaw put a hand on his shoulder, silencing him.

Emma regarded the black haired man. He was the Black king and was an equal to the Black Queen. When Emma ruled here, they both disliked each other and schemed against one another; but together they were unstoppable. She wondered where he stood for this debate. He was just as obsessed as she was about controlling the Phoenix power, but had that changed?

"Why would the Phoenix entity resurface so soon?" Pondered Donald Peirce. "Her prior host just died a year ago, it usually takes a hundred years or more to find a suitable host."

"Because," Emma explained. "The host is Jean's daughter."

The members exchanged looks of shock.

"But Jean did not-" Donald started.

"Yes, I didn't know about the little bitch before now either. It doesn't matter; the point is that the Phoenix is back and in our grasp."

" 'in our grasp', now where did I hear that- oh that's right, when we trusted you to retrieve Jean Grey. And how did that turn out?" Sebastian sneered. "I say that there is a possibility that we have another at the Phoenix, but perhaps we should try sending in 'bigger guns' this time, ones that won't mess this up."

Emma felt her face heat up, but kept it blank. God how she hated him!

The different members muttered to each other for awhile before Emma spoke again.

"She was a grown woman and an X-man." Emma told the members. "This is a stupid little teenager. Not only will it be easier to collect her, but to control her."

This rose more discussions until The Black Queen rose from her throne, making the others quiet down and draw back.

"Very well," Selene announced. "Emma, you are in charge of bringing this girl to us. Before the Phoenix fully takes control."

Selene gracefully walked away from her throne and towards her room, the others bowing slightly as she departed.

"Thank you for this second chance your…highness." Emma wanted to vomit having to say that to her enemy.

Selene looked over her shoulder and gave Emma a smile that made her blood run cold.

"And Emma dear, if you can't do it?" Selene said in a false kind voice. "Then don't be surprised if you find your corpse floating face down in some dark river."

xXx

Imaniga41: Love the soccer metaphor! Haha, thanks!

Kstar 101: That's a good idea! Thanks for the review and idea!

Bryan: Thank you! And I hope I updated soon enough :D

Jazz: Thanks Jazz!

Storyteller22: Yeah, I'm sorry I didn't really lead up to Gambit and Rogue having history; but I promise that in the later chapters it will totally be explained!


	24. Chapter 24

xXx

I sat at the breakfast nook reading my history textbook while Scott cooked pancakes behind me. I'd been living with him for about a week and settling into a routine. I missed doing my homework with the girls in our room and staying up late talking with them, but it was nice to have my own room. And Scott's apartment was pretty cool. We went down to the cafeteria for lunch and dinner (a few times we sat together, but mostly he ate with the teachers and I ate with my friends), but he insisted on eating breakfast together.

Scott slid a plat of pale droopy looking pancakes in front of me. I gave him a smile, but as soon as he turned away I scowled at the pathetic excuse of food in front of me. Unfortunately these family breakfasts usually had Scott attempting to cook and me starving until lunch because I could hardly choke down his garbage.

Scott sat down opposite to me with his own 'breakfast'.

"I have a teachers meeting tonight, so I won't be back to the apartment until late. If you want to have the girls over tonight to keep you company, that's alright with me." Scott said, poking at his pancakes. He frowned as he poked one part of his and white batter oozed out.

_That's my excuse not to eat this._ I thought, feeling queasy. I kept my hands where Scott could see them and used my telekinesis to float the pancakes towards the trash can.

"Actually I'm going to this movie night in the senior's lounge with them. I think Professor Storm and Dr. McCoy set it up so the students wouldn't tear apart the school while you guys were in your meeting." I replied. What I failed to mention was that it was Peter who asked me to go with him. It wasn't a complete lie since I was going to meet Rahne and Rogue there.

"Yeah, like a couple of blockbusters and microwave popcorn will prevent you kids from

destroying the school. Again." Scott murmured, taking a sip of coffee.

I snorted and got up to pour myself some orange juice. When I came back to the table I noticed that Scott's left arm was bandaged up by his bicep.

"What happened?" I asked as I sat down.

"Hmm?" Scott looked up from the math papers he was marking.

"Your arm, what happened to it?" I specified.

"Oh." Scott looked down at his arm as if it would have its story written on the bandage. "Just a scratch I got from the last mission."

_Wow, great story, tell it again. _I thought sarcastically.

Scott has improved. He does try harder to be a family, like asking me to move in with him, having breakfast together and stuff; but he still has a problem with opening up and just talking to me. It drives me crazy but I wasn't sure how to change this. And it wasn't like I was much better, like not telling him that I had a sort of date with Peter tonight. Or not telling him how scared I got when ever he went on these stupid X-men missions.

"Storm dropped off a new training jumpsuit last night while you were studying. She tried to fix the old one but it was too badly burned." Scott informed. I groaned and placed my head on the table. "Come on, the Danger Room sessions aren't that bad."

"Yes they are. It's like insane dodgeball with super powered kids and a high mortality rate. It's insane." I moaned. Truthfully, I didn't think the DR sessions were that bad compared to the training Creed had me do and I like dodgeball, but it was tradition for the senior students to complain about how awful it was (I think they did it mostly to scare the junior students too young for the sessions).

I felt a small twinge of fear when Scott mentioned the burned jumpsuit. Just because things were going better between Peter, Scott and life in general; it didn't stop the Phoenix. I tried to ignore it for the most part, but the times when I suddenly start burning or having thoughts of power and flames made me never truly forget. I had told Banshee (the teacher in charge of the session at the time) and Scott that it must have been another student who burned my suit during the game of manhunt (the teachers tried to give us a game during the sessions every once in awhile, but always made it a learning experience), but that I didn't see who it was. They believed me because there were three other kids in the Room that could produce fire or explosions or electricity that could explain the burns and the sessions can get pretty crazy at times so its quite possible that they didn't notice.

I shook my head, as if it would send all the thoughts that made me so afraid out and away forever.

"So who's in charge for the session today?" I asked as I began to clear the table.

"I'm not sure, who was it last week?" Scott said, not looking up from the papers.

I rolled my eyes and took a few breaths before answering. "It was you, actually. We did muscular endurance exercises for an hour and then ran laps around the DR while dodging

stun lasers and evil robots."

Scott got a mild look of remembrance while I got a sudden horrible flashback. While Scott just barely remembered the session as just another class, half the seniors who took part were still having nightmares about the experience.

"Right." Scott said. "Sorry, but I don't know. Unless its me or the teachers want to discuss the lesson plan _(in my mind I heard 'laugh as we come up with merciless ways to torture students)_, I'm not really told. I'm sure whoever it is will be-"

"Move it or loose Al! We have other places to be!" Rahne yelled, flinging open the door and striding in. She sat down at the kitchen table and pulled Scott's remaining pancakes over to her, trying to figure out which ones he hadn't touched.

Rogue followed the bolder girl in slowly shading her eyes in embarrassment.

"Hi Mr. Summers." She said shyly.

Scott gave a disapproving look at me, which I shrugged at. Students weren't usually allowed in the teachers' wing, but Scott had noticed that I was missing my friends and that I was a little awkward at the fact that I was the only student here and surrounded by teachers, so he said my friends could come visit me here. Rahne of course took advantage of this and used it as a way to punish Scott (she still strongly blamed him for me moving out), while Rogue got a kick of seeing Hank with pink curlers in his blue fur in the hallway (it had only happened once but she was still hoping to see it or something equal to it again). Scott, well, he's still kicking himself for allowing them here.

"Yeah, I'm coming." I said, cramming my text books into my school bag before slinging it over my shoulder.

"Ugh," Rahne had taken a bite of a pancake and spat it back on the plate. She pushed the plate towards Scott and grabbed an apple from the fruit basket. "Dude, you seriously need to learn how to cook."

"Though you are welcomed here Rahne, I'm still Mr. Summers, not _dude._" Scott reminded. He nearly choked on the word 'welcomed'.

Rahne shrugged and grabbed another apple before heading out the door. Rogue shook her head and followed our crazy friend.

I hid my smile and kissed Scott on the cheek before heading out.

"See yah, _dude_." I laughed as I hurried out the door. I might be mistaken but I was sure as I was closing the door that I saw Scott smile.

xXx

"You know what would be fun?" Rahne asked as we walked to our English class. "If before the movie-thon starts we go to Al's and bake cookies for it."

"Bake cookies?" Rogue repeated cynically. "Rahne have yah every baked cookies before in yer life?"

"No," Rahne admitted. "but I want to try. Besides if they turn out horribly-"

"Which they're gonna." Rogue muttered, earning her a punch in the shoulder.

"Shut up. **IF **they turn out horribly we can just throw them at Jubilee during the movie. Sounds good?" Rahne finished.

Rogue shrugged. "Ah guess it wouldn't be that bad."

"Thanks for all that enthusiasm Rogue." Rahne said, rolling her eyes. "Al, you up for it?"

"Uh, well." I blushed. I didn't tell the girls about my date, I mean, whatever this was, with Peter tonight. I just think they'd make a big fuss about it and of course remind me how Kurt would react.

I sighed, I guess I might as well get this over with.

"I think that could be fun, but we couldn't take to long, okay? I'm supposed to meet Peter before the first movie starts." I said quickly, as if the sooner I got it out the less painful it would be.

The two other girls stopped walking and stared at me.

The rest of the walk to our first class I was bombarded by words from Rahne and Rogue. I could barely understand half of what they were saying. Something like, why didn't I tell them sooner, how they weren't sitting with us if Jubilee and the rest of his friends were anywhere near us, they were going to help me get ready, Kurt is going to be pissed, I think one (or both of them) said bitch a few times, and that was all I understood.

This is going to be a long day, I thought as I walked into the classroom.

xXx

"Seriously man, if you don't tell us who this chick is now, I'm going to freeze all your boxers again." Iceman, Bobby Drake, threatened.

"I bet she's real dog, that's why he's not telling us." John smirked. "Either that or the rumors are true and she's not a girl."

Peter ignored his roommates and continued to fight with his thick black hair in front of the mirror. It was hard enough to see himself in the small mirror because he had it on the windowsill edge and it was too short so he was forced to bend, that and he couldn't think of a hairstyle to go with. He tried everything from Bobby's fohawk to parting his bangs, but nothing seemed right.

"So have you told Jubes yet?" Bobby asked.

"Jubilee? Why would I tell her?" Peter turned away from the mirror.

"Uh, because she kind of thinks you two are an item." John said slowly, as if Peter still couldn't understand English.

Peter automatically felt bad. He had done nothing to lead Jubilee on and though she showed an interest in him, it didn't stop her from seeing other boys. Peter always thought that she was just teasing him more than actually liking him. They were friends (or at least, they hung out with the same people), but he really couldn't see them ever being anything more.

But then Alanta's sweet face floated into his mind and all thoughts and feelings about Jubilee rushed from his mind. He smiled absently and turned back to the mirror.

"Okay, he's gone." Bobby said. "He's been getting that stupid look on his face all week and you can't get anything from him for hours."

"Yeah, I know." A sour look came upon John's face. "He went goo-goo eyed during our danger room session and I got a lesson in flying because of it."

Bobby looked over at his friend in confusion. John shrugged. "The moron was suppose to be my cover but then he got all love struck on me and I got kicked across the room by the sentinel we were suppose to be fighting."

Bobby laughed and started getting ready for his first class. He was already late for his first class, but it was just gym with McCoy, so he didn't think he'd get in much trouble. John seemed to be doing the same, but on closer inspection it showed that he wasn't going through his own books but Peter's. John gave a cocky smile and held a finger to his lips as he flipped through one of Peter's sketch books.

John's eyes suddenly widened and he lost his cocky smile as his mouth dropped.

Bobby stole a quick look at Peter to make sure he was still trying hairstyles for his date tonight than hurried over to see what John had found. Soon he wore a face with the same expression as John.

Looking up at them from the paper was Alanta. He had added colour to the certain picture they were now looking at, so there was no doubt it was her. Her deep red hair in its short pixie cut and her intelligent blue eyes was the give away. And as much as the two boys knew this had to be Alanta, they still couldn't believe it. Peter and Alanta? They didn't even have anything in common! While Peter hanged out with the popular group at school, she was in a group with the demon, the girl who can suck your brain out and the psycho wolf chick! Both boys had been in a few of her classes and though they didn't know her that well, she was sarcastic, cynical, and had a temper when anyone pushed her the wrong way. Plus that whole thing with her mom nearly destroying the planet and everything.

Peter now noticed the reflection of the other boys in the mirror. Realizing what his roommates were looking through, he felt a wave of panic. It wasn't that he didn't want people to know that he liked Alanta, it was just that he didn't know how she would feel about it. She was trusting him with her secret and they've been talking a lot, but it wasn't like they were dating or anything. He didn't want to upset her by his friends thinking they were an item and telling everyone.

Peter snatched up a near pillow from his bed and threw it at John. Despite the lightness of the pillow, John was thrown back into the wall and had his breath knocked from his chest from the shear force behind the pillow. Sometimes Peter forgot his own strength.

Face bright red, Peter stormed over to the other two and ripped the sketch book away. He quickly shoved it and the other books he would need for the day into his schoolbag. He then continued out the door, closing it with a slam. Peter noticed with some satisfaction that the other boys still held the same shocked dumbfounded look.

Half way down the hallway, Peter stopped and slapped his forehead. His dramatic exit would have to be ruined because he forgot his training suit on his bed. Grimacing, he turned to go back.

**Diner half an hour from the Xavier Institute **

"So the master thief can't do his job? Can't crack into a _school_?" Pietro said, sneering at the Cajun. "Your one job and you can't do it."

The mutants under Pietro's command muttered amongst themselves. They had heard stories around the mutant community that told of how this Cajun was the best thief, mutant or human. And what they didn't hear from others, they heard from Gambit himself on their trek here. And now he couldn't come through?

"I told you when we was coming here dat it would take time." Gambit, usually so relaxed and friendly, was now fighting to keep his voice calm. It had been a very long time since anyone out thiefed the Rag'n Cajun, and now this punk daddy's boy was judging his skills? "Dis is the Xavier Institute, not some stink'n bank. Charles isn't try'n ta protect some stupid jewels, he's trying ta protect children! He put everyting he got into defenses and when the Prof puts his mind ta something, he don't take it lightly. He ain't gonna let just anyone walk into his school. Specially anyones such as yoselves."

"Its taken you over a week and you still have no clue how to get in!" Pietro yelled, losing his patience.

"I'm work'n on someting." Gambit replied coolly.

Pietro looked ready to punch the other young man in the mouth, actually clenching his hand into a fist. Gambit noticed this and charged a playing card with kinetic energy. Coolly he flipped the card through his fingers and studied Pietro, silently daring him to make a move.

The other mutants saw the tension building up, but it was only Wanda and Jamie who made to break it up.

"Come on 'Tro, he isn't worth drawing attention to us." Jamie murmured to his friend, nodding at the lady at the counter who had watched the group uncertainly since they entered her diner.

Pietro glared once more at the Cajun before storming off to the other side of the diner. Slowly their companions went back to eating.

"Come on, let's go somewhere to cool off." Wanda suggested, tugging at Gambit's arm.

Despite the fact that he was still fuming, Gambit forced a smile and allowed himself to be pulled towards the diner's door. "You know Gambit can only get hot around you, cher."

"Flirting even after you and my brother just duked it out. Nice." Wanda replied rolling her eyes. She led him to the bridge over the river, about two blocks down from the diner. There they leaned on the bridge railing and watched boated float down the river.

"I don't know why he's making such a big deal about this." Wanda said suddenly, a hint of anger in her voice. Gambit looked over at his companion with surprise. "Like, I know he wants to prove to Father that he can make things right, but I don't know why he's getting so anxious and impatient. Its not like its his best friend that's missing."

_That's right, I remember somting about Alanta being Wanda's friend. But she's been so quiet, I forgot. _Gambit remembered.

"Its just-I haven't seen her in forever when I'm used to seeing her first thing when I wake up and the last thing I see before I go to sleep. She's more like a sister than a friend. And she must be in trouble or something there because she wouldn't just not try to contact me. We're closer than that." Wanda looked away, but Remy still caught sight of a few tears. "I just miss her so much."

"What if-" Remy didn't know why he was doing this. "What if Gambit take you to see her?"

Wanda looked over in surprise, a few tears still on her face.

"But you said you couldn't-" She began but Gambit cut her off.

"I know what I said but- listen if you want to see your ami, you have to trust me that I know what I'm doing. I can get you in to see her tonight, but it can't e for long and you can't tell anyone. Specially your crazy bro, okay?" Gambit said quickly and quietly, like any moment the rest would come around the corner.

Wanda opened her mouth to question this but then shut it. She gave a curt nod.

"Alright den, lets get dis over with." Gambit said grimly, looking around for a ride to steal.

This was going to be a very long night.

xXx

imaninja41: Thank you! Hehe, soccer :D

Bryan: Nice laugh, I likes it :P Haha, thanks!

fuzzyelffreak: There shall be more Romy soon!

Storyteller222: Cardboard is interesting : ) Thanks for the review!


	25. Chapter 25

xXx

I glanced around the change room nervously as Rouge and Rahne talked about their history project beside me. I might be just paranoid, but all day it seemed like everyone was watching me. Whenever I entered a room, everyone would go silent and stare at me. It was the same when I first came to the school and people reacted this way because I was Jean's long-lost-thought-to-be-dead- daughter. Some how them acting like this unnerved me more now, just because I didn't know why.

Jubilee seemed to be staring at me with the most intense glare. If she were Scott, I'd probably be fried with red laser beams by now. I met her stare with a cool glare.

She just sniffed and went back to talking with Kitty, though she kept glancing back at me.

"Okay, that's weird." I said to Rahne and Rouge.

"What's weird?" Rahne asked as she zipped up her training suit. Seeing that the arms and legs were too long, she sighed and unzipped the suit, trading it for the one Rogue held.

"How everyone keeps staring at me?" I answered with a slight head nod towards Jubilee. "Do you guys know something I don't?"

"I haven't heard anything. What about you Rogue?" Rogue shook her head and went back to tying up her shoes. "I've noticed that too though, the staring. The firecracker must be pissed because it looks like she's trying to learn how to shoot death rays. Don't look at her, it'll just make her feel important. What did you do?"

"Nothing!" I replied. After a moments thought I added, "That I know of anyway. Besides, pissing people off is more your job than mine."

Rahne gave me a wolfy grin. "Yeah, and you'd better not be trying to take that from me. Don't worry about it Aly, you know how rumors are in this school. You'll hear about it sooner or later."

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, if that doesn't make me feel better than I don't know what would."

Rahne opened her mouth but before she could speak a loud male voice echoed around the change room.

"Fall in!"

Every girl scrambled to obey, fighting to get out the door and not be the last one out. Our teachers were very particular about being on time and tried to drill its importance into us. Usually the last one caught out would be bombarded by a loud demeaning speak from the instructor followed by punishment that could range from fifty laps around the danger room to a month's worth of chores.

We fell into two lines, the girl's in one and the boys in another, facing each other. We were dressed all in the same black jumpsuits, standing at ease like soldiers instead of students.

I smiled when Peter stood across from me. He stood at least a head taller than the boys on either side of him and when he brought his arms behind his back to clasp his hands together, the black material from his suit pulled tight against his chest. The only thing stopping me from believing he was some ancient Greek warrior reincarnated in a Calvin Klein model was that his suit's legs were too short, so the revealed a good proportion of his one Pittsburgh Penguins and one plain white socks.

My grinning stopped suddenly when a burly man with black hair walked between the two lines.

"When you're told to be ready at two o'clock, then you're to be ready at two o'clock! You say you wanna be X-men? Well X-men don't show up late to an emergency because they were putting on their make up!" Wolverine barked at us teenagers.

I glared coldly at him as he continued his scolding rant that we heard so many times before. He hadn't been at the mansion since what happened at the garage. Rumors were that he left for Canada while others said he was with the Avengers. Honestly, I didn't care where he was, just as long as the pervert was far from me.

Eventually he finished. Some people were shaking a little, while others stood straight but pale. The Wolverine could be frightening. Perhaps if I had actually been listening to him, I would be affected in the same way.

Shaking his head, he did the procedures to unlock the Danger Room. He waited at the door as the teenagers filed past him, just too make sure each of them had been properly listening to his scolding. Most did their best to not draw attention to themselves, but Rogue gave him a quick hug as she pasted. Apparently he saved her a few times and now he was like a father figure to her, but that just brought me to thinking what happened when I thought of him the same way.

I stared straight ahead of me, keeping my face blank when I passed through the door. I had almost made it to the other side when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Alanta? I need to talk to you." Logan said quietly.

I examined him, hoping that every once of loathing I felt for him showed. "Yeah? Well I don't feel like talking."

Logan was quiet for a moment. Eventually he said, "I'm a teacher, I could-"

I jerked myself away from his hand. "Yes, you're a teacher. That's what makes it worse."

I stormed away from him. Peter came up beside me and asked quietly, "What did Wolverine want?"

I almost said 'a mini Jean', but I stopped myself. "Nothing."

Seeing my expression, Peter let it drop, probably because he planned to ask again in private tonight. He stood closely beside me, his muscled arm touching mine. It wasn't until later that I realized I was doing it but I leaned gently against his sturdy frame. Jubilee glared at me with open hatred from her spot with the rest of Peter's friends.

Wolverine entered the Danger Room, the thick metal door closing behind him. Pressing a button from the small black remote in his hand, we found ourselves in a giant forest. The Danger Room's holographic technology was amazing.

Wolverine explained the training exercise for today. It was basically capture the flag, mutant style. We were allowed to use our powers (to a degree) to get into the enemy's area and steal the flag. We had to work defense as well as offence. All the while trying not to sustain any permanent damage.

There were too many of us, so we had to break into four teams. Teams Mutant Pryde (I belonged to this team, named after our team captain Kitty Pryde) and X-Power (Peter was team captain for this team) were up first.

Shadowcat already had a plan and a hiding spot for our flag picked out. She put Angel (we are supposed to use code names only during DR sessions) and I in charge of leading of the offence squad so she and Iceman could focus on the defense team. I was pretty impressed with her ideas for defense; outside of classes Shadowcat always seemed kind of preppy and useless. I guess I made a mistake.

Fifteen minutes into our game, Angel led three quarters of our team to do a frontal attack. His squad was mainly to take out as many 'enemies' and cause a distraction so my team could sneak in and grab their flag. When we got their flag, the plan was that Siren would signal the rest of our offence squad to cover us so we could get back to our side.

At least that was the plan. Angel's team was doing well, but all but two of my people were captured. I still had Diffuse, a girl that could make herself invisible and Pyro. I was scoping out the area from a tall tree when I saw Mirage from X-Power by a waterfall. So far we hadn't even found their flag, we just knew the rough location of it. But this had promise. Mirage was a low level physic, known mostly for her illusions. She looked around nervously, and didn't seem to be able to stand still.

_Angel,_ I said telepathically. I felt him jump a little at my voice in his head, though this is the third time I communicated with him since the game started. _I think I found their flag._

_Alright, nothing to report here, Wildcat. Signal as soon as you have it and we'll move to cover you. _Angel replied.

Below I sensed something. Breaking off the connection, I did a backflip out for the tree just in time to avoid being grabbed by a shiny steal hand.

Landing in a fight ready stance, I looked up. Standing feet from me was a tall muscular girl made of steal, looking down at me. It took me a moment to realize it was Rogue. Usually I would have been happy to see her, but since she was on the X-Power team, I wasn't so eager to greet her. She tried to tackle me, but I dodged her. If her borrowed muscles didn't get me, contact with her skin still could. I had to be smart about this.

"Rogue, you touched Peter?" I asked, sounding hurt.

My plan worked. Automatically her steal melted back to human flesh, and she seemed to shrink.

"Aly, Ah swear Ah didn't, he thought it was the best strategy, so-" Rogue babbled.

I smiled as I interrupted her.

"Gotcha."

"Wh-" Rogue was fast asleep before she could even finish the word. I hid her under a bush where she wouldn't be hurt and took back to the trees to get closer to Mirage.

_Diffuse, Pyro; I think I found the flag. _I sent the message telepathically to the remaining of my team, including the location of the flag. _How long do you think it will take you to meet me there?_

_Diffuse got herself captured, its only you and me left. _Pyro replied.

_What? How she get captured, she can turn invisible- never mind, I guess its just you and me._

_I'm closer than you are, I'm above the waterfall._

_Okay, wait for me there. Do not engage until I get there. _I instructed as I jumped from branch to branch.

_I can take her out. Mirage sucks as a telepath, and if I can surprise her-_

_No, wait until I get there. _I told him firmly. I sensed that he hated being told what to do, especially from a girl younger than him. He thought Kitty was an idiot for assigning me this job when he was 'more qualified'. He thinks she's only doing it because I'm Peter's-

I was so shocked at what I read that I lost my grip and fell to the forest floor with a great thud.

HOW DID HE KNOW ABOUT ME AND PETER?

I took in a deep breath, trying to calm down.

I guess that explains the death glares from Jubilee…

_Wildcat, _Angel yelled from his mind, forcing me to pay attention. _We're starting to fall a little behind here, do you have the flag?_

_No, but I'm on it. _I answered, breaking of the link. Angel reminded me that I had no time to freak out now, I owed it to the team.

But as soon as I'm done winning this stupid game, heads will roll.

xXx

Five minutes later, I was cursing every law of fate that led to having Pyro on the same team as me. The ignoramus ignored my orders and attacked without backup. It turns out that Mirage wasn't only hiding X-Power's flag but five super powered bodyguards. He was knocked out cold by the time I got there, so not only did I have to deal with eleven of the enemy but had to protect the idiot from being trampled, iced, electrocuted, poisoned darts, etc.

"You know- ah!" I dodged a huge fist aimed at my head. I spun and kicked my attacker in the chest, knocking the wind out of him. I glared down at the unconscious Pyro I was wasting time protecting. "why you didn't get picked for captain? BECAUSE YOU'RE AN IDIOT!"

Eventually I took out the bodyguards, leaving only Mirage. She had managed to stay out of the fighting but now she had no protection. I walked slowly towards her, wary of any other surprises she was hiding.

I felt her against my mind, trying to take control. Too bad for her, it was like a butterfly trying to fight its way through a steal wall. It just wasn't going to happen. I pushed her away mentally and she looked at me in fear.

"Flag please." I said, holding out my hand.

Mirage sighed and gave me X-Power's flag, muttering "This is such a stupid game."

I tied her to a tree instead of mentally or physically knocking her out. I was about to signal Angel to bring his squad for back up, but I suddenly felt a painful jolt at the back of my skull. The world spun around me as I fell to the ground.

"And you were calling me the idiot." I heard a male voice laugh.

I looked over my shoulder to see Pyro stooping to pick up the flag that I dropped when he hit me. A large bloody rock lay a little while away. I felt the back of my head, it was sticky wet and tender.

"You could have killed me." I struggled to say, fighting to stay conscious. "What does it matter who gets the flag?"

Pyro knelt beside my head smiling, "I don't like being beat, even by my own team. Better luck next time."

_This guy's a complete psycho._ That was my last thought before I blacked out.

xXx

Pyro was walking away from Wildcat, smirking at his own brilliance. Peter's bitch probably wouldn't even remember what happened, not after the way he hit her. They'll think it was the other team and he'll get all the credit for getting the flag. That'll show those stupid bitches, for not making him a captain, for bossing him around.

His mutant ability was the first to tip him off that something wasn't right. He could sense fire, but he didn't start it.

Turning, he saw Wildcat rising up from the ground and into the air.

"Seriously? Just accept it, you lost." Pyro said, trying to sound confident. But honestly, he was afraid and he didn't know why. Something about her felt ….wrong.

She didn't answer him, just floated eerily closer.

Pyro began to back up. "It was just a joke, alright?"

Suddenly flames shot out of her very pores, staying around her like armor. Her usual blue eyes blazed with flames. Did he hear something about Alanta developing a second mutation?

"Do you seriously think that's supposed to scare me?" Pyro snickered. Pulling out his lighter and flicking it, he now had a ball of flame in his hand. "I'm the god of fire, you're little sparks don't scare me."

Wildcat now spoke, but it was not her voice that came from her mouth. This voice was haunting and powerful, and it reminded John of a blazing inferno.

"You dare to commit sacrilege in the presence of a goddess?" She said, distain and loathing in her voice. "I have seen into your soul and I know what lies beneath your surface. There is an evil in you that I have not witnessed it decades."

Pyro stumbled back, what was this crazy bitch talking about? Was she just messing with him? She must be, there was no way she was serious.

Panicking, Pyro pulled at the flames around her, trying to use his mutant power to control the flames. It had no affect.

She actually laughed at him. With a flick of her hand, Pyro dropped where he stood. Walking slowly towards the fallen boy, she wondered if it would be a favor to the universe to kill him now.

Her head flew up like a startled horse, she sensed people coming. Using her powers, she set the pathetic lowlife back up right before sinking back into Alanta.

She wouldn't have to be hidden for much longer…

xXx

_Sorry for not writing in such a long time! I've been ridiculously busy and my computer's on the frizz. Hopefully I'll be updating sooner. And this was a pretty bad chapter, sorry about that, this is just setting up my master plan _

Random Cookie Ninja: Glad you like the story, thanks for the review!

L: I guess we'll see :P Haha, thanks for the review!

imaninja41: You have such an awesome way of doing a review! And I hope the whole story doesn't fail miserably.

Bryan: Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Storyteller22: I'm glad you're interested, thanks for reviewing :D


	26. Chapter 26

Peter sat by Alanta holding her cold hand and watching her still face. To him she looked like an angel, even with the thick white bandages wrapped around her head. He brushed her soft red bangs that stuck out from under the wrappings. He had over heard Dr. McCoy telling Cyclops that she was going to be fine, at worse she might have a mild concussion; but he couldn't help but still feel worried.

When he got a hold of John, he was going to-

"Is she alvight?" A German accented voice asked behind him. Peter turned to see a smaller boy stare at him with emotionless yellow eyes.

"Dr. McCoy thinks so." Peter answered.

Kurt came a little closer to the unconscious girl and placed a small bouquet of roses that matched his own blue skin on her bedside table. To avoid looking at either Peter or Alanta, he busied himself by adjust the arrangement of the flowers.

Peter hated the uncomfortable silence.

"Those are very nice, I didn't know roses came in that colour." Peter said. When Kurt didn't say anything to reply, he tried again. "I didn't even think to bring her flowers."

"Isn't that a surprise." Kurt replied, a hint of abhor in his voice.

Peter was surprised by this. Him and Kurt weren't best friends or anything, but they weren't enemies either. When he first came to this country, Kurt even went out of his way to try and make him feel welcomed, saying that he knew how hard it could be sometimes to understand these crazy Americans. Kurt was usually really friendly, voted Mr. Congeniality by everyone. Why was he- oh that's right, Aly mentioned that they haven't been talking for awhile. When he brought up why, she answered that she didn't know, but her voice was full of sadness.

Suddenly Kurt turned to him, his eyes no longer emotionless but angry.

"If you hurt her, or do anything to upset her, you vill be sorry." Kurt warned, his eyes glowing.

Peter was so taken back by that it took him a moment to reply.

"What?"

"You heard me, and I meant it." Kurt growled. His tail quickly flicked from side to side.

"I would never hurt Aly." Peter answered firmly; not liking at all Kurt's suggestion that he would to anything to harm Alanta.

"Better keep it that vay." Kurt replied turning to go.

"Wait," Peter stood, fuming. He came around to the other side of the bed to stop Kurt. Though he was at least twice as thick as the blue boy and over a head taller, Kurt continued to glare as though he was the larger of the two. "why would you think-"

"Kurt!" Both boys turned to see Alanta's friends Rahne and Rogue rush up to them. Rahne ran up to Kurt and put him in a head lock while Rogue kept her distance.

"I thought we were going to have to drag you here. Glad to see you finally snapped out of it and came without being forced." Rahne said as Kurt freed himself.

"Jah, vell, I was just leaving." He muttered. Before anyone could do anything to stop him again, Kurt teleported from the room.

"So…he's still being an idiot." Rahne growled, waving away the smoke that was always left in the air once Kurt teleported.

"That's not fair, yah don't know what's go'n on in his head." Rogue tried to defend.

"Well, then Alanta has no excuse for why they're still not talking, because she can read his mind." Rahne retorted. Realizing something, Rahne spun to face Alanta and punched her shoulder. Raising her voice, she said to the unconscious girl, "So if you're the mind reader, how did you let that tool sneak up on you?"

Rogue rolled her eyes and pulled the wolf-girl away from their friend. Seeing that the girls were intending on staying, Peter went to go find some chairs for them.

"Professor McCoy, she's waking up!" I heard a male voice boom above me. It was a pleasant voice but the volume made me grind my teeth as it echoed through my head.

"Thank you Peter, but I'd prefer it if you lowered your voice. Others are resting in here." An older voice answered smoothly in a much quieter tone. When my eyes had opened and my vision cleared, I saw the owners of the voices.

Peter blushed slightly as Dr. McCoy walked over to us. I was laying in the MedBay with a curtain wrapped around my bed for privacy. I looked over at Peter, surprised at seeing him here. His blush deepened and he walked away from my bed side to the foot of the bed. Hank McCoy took his position.

"How do you feel Alanta? Any nausea?" Hank asked, holding a clipboard and a pen.

"No." I began to sit up but the awful feeling made me lay back down. "Yes."

"Mhh hmm, that's to be expected." McCoy said kindly, jotting down some notes. "Do you remember what happened?"

I thought for a moment. Everything seemed kind of blurry…we were in the Danger Room…team X-Pryde…

"Yeah some idiot hit me in the head with a rock!" I yelled, out raged. I struggled to get out of bed. "He's a dead man! Where is he? When I get a hold of him-"

Hank McCoy pushed me back into the bed, I had no energy to fight with him.

"Oh no you don't, you're not leaving until you're a hundred percent." McCoy said firmly. After a moment he added. "And when you do leave, you're not killing anyone."

"He snuck up behind me and hit me with a rock! And he was on _my _team! He could have killed me!" I screeched.

Dr. McCoy motioned for me to lower my voice. He sat on my bed to explain.

"What John did was very wrong, no ones arguing that. The Professor is discussing what happened now." Dr. McCoy said quietly. "Do you remember anything…else?"

I looked at the blue mutant with a raised eyebrow.

"Um, after the rock to the head, things were a little blurry after that." I said, trying not to sound sarcastic.

Dr. McCoy gave me a searching look, making me feel odd. Peter looked between us.

"I'm not lying." I added.

The blue man sighed and answered in a genuinely upset voice, "No, I believe you."

I would have read his mind, to see what was wrong, but the Professor had taught all the teachers to block their thoughts. I probably could have gotten through his defenses, but not without him knowing.

"Alright Alanta, you try to get some rest. You're dad will be here soon, once he's finished with John." The doctor said. Picking up my chart, he walked towards another patient.

"Its kind of ridiculous how full the MedBay is." I said turning to Peter. "Anyway, do you know what he was talking about?"

Peter looked away.

"Alright, would you rather talk about why you told everyone that we're together?" I asked, teasing him just a little. I wasn't really upset by that, I've had worse talk going around the school about me than being with possibly the most perfect guy ever.

I expected him to blush and avoid the subject, but he didn't.

"I really didn't tell anyone, not that I didn't want to. I was just, unsure. But then Bobby and John found my sketch book this morning and they-" Peter babbled.

"Wait, what?" I interrupted. "Never mind. Peter, what happened when I went unconscious?"

Peter took a deep breath.

"We don't really know Al. Some of us came to protect the flag, and we thought we saw…something, through the trees. By the time we got there, you were unconscious on the ground and John was curled up in a ball, shivering. He was saying some really weird things, but soon Wolverine came over and dismissed us. The teachers have been acting worried." Peter told me, not meeting my eyes.

I tried to process all this.

"What did you see Peter?" I asked quietly, praying that I was reading it all wrong.

"We couldn't really make it out Aly, the trees were thick and-" Peter sighed.

"Peter!"

Peter looked away before answering. "It was the Phoenix."

I suddenly felt very cold. I had been feeling her presence in me, the flames; especially when I was asleep. But never had she taken over. Never had I not been in control.

It was starting.

I couldn't help myself, I started to cry. Crying like some stupid little girl. I was suppose to be better than this, a fighter. But what was happening to me could not be fought. I was as helpless and pathetic as a child.

I felt the bed sink and Peter's presence close to me. I felt his strong arms wrap around me and I heard him whisper comforting things to me.

I should have been fighting him, I didn't need anyone. But I didn't.

If I was going to die, I might as well enjoy this while I still could.

xXx

Hey guys! This chapter didn't really go anywhere, but I promise the next one will be intense! Hope you will like it :D

Bryan: Thanks! Hope you'll stay interested

Imaninja 41: Unfortunately I wasn't able to get old Wolvie in this update, but I have a plan for them! And I love him WAY too much to leave him as a pervert :P Haha, and I'm making an effort to update sooner, I promise!

Storyteller22: Bhaha, your review made me laugh! And thank you for the rating, I like that idea. Lets me know how much I have to step up my game :D


	27. Chapter 27

Hey guys!

Okay, first, an apology. I'm so sorry for leaving you guys hanging like that but I've been so busy I barely have time to sit down and just write! Yesterday when I was supposed to be writing an essay for The Picture of Dorian Gray, I suddenly had a mental break down and started writing the next chapter for Daughter of the Phoenix. It's almost done, unlike my essay (whoops) and I should be uploading it later this week. Once school's over I promise to finish up this story, updating regularly. Hopefully you guys will still be interested and reading

PS FORGIVE ME!


	28. Chapter 28

The X-men filed into the professor's office and found places to sit, talking quietly amongst each other. During most teacher conferences for the Xavier Institute, the adults took the opportunity to kick back and not have to worry about being good role models for their students. They told inappropriate jokes, flirted with each other, talked about old missions and if they thought Xavier wouldn't notice, some would even sneak in a few beers. But not today. They were all too tense. They were briefly told about the recent events from today, and they all knew they meant.

Scott Summers stood at the window, leaning his forehead against the cool glass. A few of his teammates noticed that he held his famous red glasses loosely in his hand, and his eyes shut tight.

The teachers nodded as their own teacher wheeled his chair over to his desk. Xavier briefly stopped to talk to a few of his X-men, but didn't linger for long. Xavier put his hand on Scott's arm, but removed it when the younger man did not respond.

"Hank, would you like to begin?" Xavier asked the blue mutant.

Beast nodded and got up from the couch he shared with Storm.

"As most of you know, there was an indecent today during one of the Danger Room sessions. We told you as little as possible about it because we don't want the students to know. Aly-" Hank's voice caught. He had begun to get to know his goddaughter very well the past couple of months. She shared his thirst for knowledge, so she spent a lot of time in his labs or going to science conferences with him, trying to learn more. The idea that what happened to Jean, his dear friend, was also happening to this special girl, it was enough to break his heart. Storm reached out and squeezed his hand, offering silent support.

"Maybe it would be easier to show you all the footage from this afternoon instead of explaining it." Xavier said wisely. He quickly set up the projector and fast forward to the point when things began to go wrong.

The teachers gasped as the saw on the screen the supposedly unconscious girl's eyes snap open, revealing them to be like embers. She rose into the air, surrounded by flames. The heroes watched on as the past events unfolded. By the end, most of the teachers' faces were pale, all of them remembering what happened the last time.

Hank cleared his throat and began once more.

"The Phoenix is back." He stated bluntly. "We all knew it this would happen, but none of us expected that it would be able to find a suitable host in such a short time."

There was a period of silence, then a timid voice came from Danielle Moonstar.

"So what are we going to do?"

Every began talking at once, offering ideas and shutting down others. Contacting the Shi'ar, the Avengers, getting a group of psychics together to try to suppress the Phoenix, putting her in a hibernation chamber-

Polaris stood. "We have to destroy her _now._"

This lead to an uproar of more arguing. Polaris raised her voice to be heard.

"No, listen to me. I know this isn't the nicest idea, but what other choice do we have? I'm sorry that this poor girl would be killed too, I really am, but we can't just let them destroy the Earth! We have to act before the Phoenix is too powerful and in control."

"There has to be another way," Storm interjected. "This is Scott and Jean's daughter!"

"I know that! Do you really think I didn't? But we can't let personal feelings get in the way of the whole planet's safety. Jean would understand, she killed herself to protect the rest of us." Polaris shot back.

The room went quiet at that. The silence was broken by the sound of shattering glass and a man's cry of anguish. Everyone turned to see Cyclops staring out the window, red beams shooting from his eyes and causing destruction. He then shoved back on his glasses and for the first time, began to intervene in the discussion.

"You really think that's what Jean would have wanted?" He snarled at Polaris. "To have her daughter slaughtered by the people she thought were her family? Because the Jean I know would have fought to the death to protect her daughter, and so will I. Jean gave her life to stop the Phoenix, but that was her last resort. Aly still has a chance, and I'm not going to just stand by and have her killed when there's still hope."

No one knew what to say to that. They just watched their fuming team leader with shock. Slowly, Scott drooped into the chair behind him, as though he had used all his strength. He shook as he held his head in his hands. He then looked up to Hank, his oldest friend and asked in a pitiful voice.

"There's still hope Hank, isn't there?"

xXx

I stood in my room looking over the small backpack I filled and tried not to cry. I was able to control myself for all the goodbyes I had said tonight, but I was sure I was going to lose that control now.

While laying in bed at the MedBay, I decided what I had to do. I couldn't let the Phoenix take control again, couldn't let her hurt others using my body, and there was only one way to stop her. My mother's death told me that. I knew what I had to do, but first there were a few things I had to straighten out.

And the first thing to do was say good-bye.

I used my telepath powers to spring me from the MedBay and went in search of my friends. I planned out the amount of time I'd have with each of them before I had to go and what we'd do together.

First up was Rahne and Rouge.

They came prepared for baking, just like we planned. Rogue Goggled some recipes for cookies while Rahne got supplies from the kitchen ladies. Knowing this was most likely the last time we saw each other, I felt like we should be doing something more sentimental and memorable than just fooling around in the kitchen, making a mess like a bunch of goofs. But then I realized that they really wanted to do this and this would make memories.

Half an hour later, attempt number two batch of cookies were in the oven, Rahne had an egg broken over her head, the horribly burnt cookies from the first batch were in the garbage and we were on the floor covered with flour and laughing our heads off.

"You-two-are-ridiculous!" Rahne struggled to say, laughing as she attempted to get the egg out of her hair.

"Nah, leave it darl'n! It looks good an' does wonders fer yah hair!" Rouge giggled.

"Oh yeah? Then why don't you join me?" Rahne said, giving a wolfy grin.

"Don't yah dar-" Rogue started to say, but it was too late. The yellow yoke stood out against her white bangs. "Ah hate you."

"I've got to get a picture." I said, leaping up to find Scott's camera. He said I could use it at any time, so I took advantage of it to capture "AlRoRa's Kitchen Adventure" on film (Rahne was insistent that we use the first letters of our names to come up with the title). I found the camera under the printed recipes and hurried back. I found the perfect positioning to capture us all in the picture and used my telekinesis to hold the camera in place while I rushed back to sit in-between my friends.

"Ready?" I asked.

"Yup"

"Defiantly."

"Alright. One, two, thr-oh my God!" As the flash went off, I felt the unpleasant sensation of egg running down my head and the squealing laughter of my "friends".

"You guys are hilarious, you know that?" I asked them, raising my voice so they could hear over the sound of their own squealing laughter.

I quickly grabbed the camera and took an unflattering picture of the two rolling on the ground with watery eyes and their mouths wide open.

Hearing the sound of the camera, Rogue sobered up.

"Yah didn't…"

"Of course I did." I answered, smiling.

"GIVE MEH THAT CAMERA!" Rogue screeched launching herself at me. Rahne laughed and joined the struggle.

We were so loud we barely heard the knocking at the door. We all seemed to hear it at the same time and went quiet.

"How long were they knocking fer?" Rogue asked, whispering like a little kid that was about to be caught doing something naughty.

"Al, if that's your dad, you are so dead." Rahne whispered as well.

"Hey, this isn't all my mess. If I'm going down, I'm taking you both with me!" I threatened, getting off the floor to answer the door. I had no idea who it would be, students aren't allowed in the teacher's wing and all of them were at the teacher's meeting. I opened the door a crack and peeked out.

Once I saw who it was, I flung the door completely open.

"You came!" I exclaimed.

"Jah threatened to make me think I vas a six year old girl and you'd braid my hair, vhat choice did I have?" Kurt replied.

"I thought it sounded like a good threat." I admitted.

"So I'm here, vhat do you want?" Kurt asked.

I stepped into the hall and shut the door, ignoring the looks Rahne and Rogue gave me.

"I don't want you to be mad at me any more." I answered steadily.

"I'm not mad at you."

"Oh really? Because you've been avoiding and ignoring me and I can't take it any more! You're a great friend Kurt-"

"Friend." Kurt muttered.

I ignored him and continued.

"Yes, friend. I know you've been finding it just as hard to stay away as I've had not being around you. And why? Why are you acting like this?" I asked. I waited for a reply, but didn't get one.

"Because I love you." Was his reply.

I stepped back. I wasn't expecting that. Well, that wasn't completely true. I had to be pretty dense to not notice Kurt was jealous of Peter and my telepathic abilities were too sensitive to not notice Kurt's crush on me. But I didn't expect him to say it.

"You are the only vone at dis school who does not look at me like I'm evil. Even Rahne and Rogue get surprised once in a vhile and jump when they see me. You alvays look me in the eye, and I can't say that about anyone else. Do you really not love me back?" Kurt asked pitifully.

I felt like someone punched me in the heart. I did love Kurt, but like a brother. I cared too much about Peter to feel like that about anyone else. Kurt has such a hard time with people. Even if he can make anyone laugh with him, some people avoid him because of his appearance.

Kurt looked at me, begging for an answer.

What am I supposed to do? I can't tell him I love him, but I can't die knowing I hurt him so bad. I can't change his feelings…actually, I could.

"Kurt, I'm going to die very soon." I told him very quietly. "And I don't want to go with you mad at me and hurt. This is the best way, for both of us."

I reached out and touched his blue forehead. I entered his mind easily and went right for the large area he unintentionally had of me. Swiftly, I began taking and changing his emotions and thoughts of me. I firmly implanted a brother sister type of love to keep him from developing a crush on me again. As well, I removed the memory of me admitting my secret. This whole evening would be ruined if everyone knew I was leaving them. I know how immoral it is to violate someone to this level, but I'm as good as dead right now, what's stopping me?

I exited my friend's mind as easily as I entered. Almost immediately after, Kurt's eyes unclouded and focused on me.

"I, um, vhat was I saying, frauline?" Kurt asked rubbing his head a little.

"I was just thanking you for the roses you sent me today, I didn't know they came in that colour." I lied smoothly.

"Oh, right. No problem, Aly." Kurt smiled. "I smell cookies…"

"They should be done by now." I replied, linking my arm with his and opening the apartment door. "But I should warn you, Rahne and Rogue were involved in baking them so they might cause food poisoning."

"Go soak your head, these are awesome cookies!" Rahne replied from the kitchen table as she poured herself a glass of milk.

We sat around the table and began to devour the cookies. Rogue gave me a look, which I answered telepathically.

"_We're fine now, we made up."_

"_Bout time." Rogue replied._

Rahne began talking about something stupid Jubilee said in her civics class and the other two listened in. Before Rahne and Rogue had been able to distract me and get my mind off what I was going to do. But what just happened with Kurt, it made me focus on what was going to happen.

It also made me think, if I could change how Kurt felt about me so easily, what was to stop me from making everyone else not care about me? Or even wiping myself from their minds permanently. I mean, I knew what I was going to do was going to hurt them, how could it not? I knew I had to destroy the Phoenix, and they would understand, but they'd still be sad. If I was a real friend, I would make them forget about me so they wouldn't miss me.

I'd have to do the same thing with Scott, I realized. I could just let him believe his daughter died years ago and leave it at that.

But after I died, there wouldn't be anything left of me. I really wasn't a religious sort, I don't believe I could just go to heaven. People's memories of me would be what I left behind. If I erased myself, it would be like I never even existed…

"Al? Hey Aly?" I was brought away from these by Rahne. "You okay? You look like you're about to cry or something…"

"Oh, no, I'm fine. Really. Its just, uh, the cookie fumes are making my eyes water." I lied smoothly. My friends gave me sceptical looks, so I grabbed the camera to distract them. "Hey, let's get another picture, this time with Kurt. But first we have to give him the initiation egg."

"What's an initiation e-" Kurt was cut off by the egg being cracked on his head.

They stayed for a bit longer, enough to help me clean up at least. They teased me about my first date with Peter, thinking my quietness was due to nerves of dating. I didn't do anything to tell them otherwise.

Before they left, I hugged each one of them; something that was received by looks of surprise. I couldn't say much of a goodbye without them being too suspicious, but I did my best.

"You guys are my best friends. I never had that many friends growing up, but these past months with you, well, they were great." I told them. "I just wanted you guys to know."

They all shared a look before responding.

"You're not going to run away and marry Peter or something like that tonight, are you?" Rahne asked suspiciously.

I laughed, "No."

"Good." Rahne said, opening the door. As she left she called back to me. "You better be here tomorrow, or else I'm going to have to kick your ass."

I forced a laugh, wishing I could promise her that I'd still be here tomorrow.

Next I had to say good bye to Scott. Of course I couldn't walk up to him and be all like "Hey! Sorry, but I have to go kill myself so a cosmic entity won't use me to destroy the world. Nice to have met you and glad that we had this time together. See you later."

Like that would go well.

I went out to the balcony with a pencil and some paper. I spent some time just looking over the estate, trying to get inspired. I mean, how do you tell your father that you are going to die? Do you say you're sorry? Try to comfort him? Where do I even begin?

Dear Scott-

I quickly scratched that out.

Dad.

Wow, first time I said that, even if it's a written word. But this might be my last chance to say it.

Dad,

What I'm about to do is unavoidable and necessary. But as much as I tell myself that, it doesn't make it easier. I'm scared out of my mind and no matter what I do I can't make myself feel better. I really wish I could go and talk to you about this, face to face, but I know that if I did that I would not have the strength to follow through with what I must.

I never said this before and I'm sorry I didn't. I love you Dad. I'm sorry it took so long for us to even start to try to be a family. I really wish things could have been different, but I guess wishing doesn't do much good, does it?

Okay, I never wrote a suicide note before. I have so much I think I'm supposed to be saying but I don't know how. I guess I'll stop before I make even more of a blotch of this. I just wanted you to know, I know I have to do this, you gave me a family I never thought I'd have and that I love you.

Alanta.

Wow. I guess this is it.

I placed the note on my pillow, thinking that would be the best place for it and picked up my backpack. I knew I couldn't do it here at the school, these students have enough problems without finding a classmate's corpse in the halls or something. Plus there was a chance the Phoenix would realize what I was doing and try to stop me, and it wouldn't be good to have her come out around other people. I didn't pack much, just enough to get me far enough away from the school.

I went to my window and opened it, when it felt like my heart was squeezed. Peter; I never said my goodbye to him…

"Wildcat sneaking out? That's my Aly girl!" I heard a voice call from below my window.

I leaned out of the window and looked down. A dark figure flew up into my room and tackled me. I fought the stranger and quickly restrained whoever it was. I was about to demand for them to tell me who they were, but once I heard the giggling, there was no need.

"Just like you Aly. Leap before you think." Wanda said, smiling. "Yah miss me?"


	29. Chapter 29

Sorry guys, this is going to be a pretty weak chapter :/ I should have tried harder on it but I just wanted to get it done to continue with the story. Please forgive me!

J.C. Posch

xXx

"Wanda!" I gasped, getting off of her and helping my friend up.

"Oh good, you remembered my name. I was afraid you wouldn't because it's kind of been awhile since we've seen each other." Wanda said. She took a step back from me and crossed her arms, only to grab me in a hug. Then she punched me in the shoulder.

"Ow! Of course! How could I forget my bipolar friend?" I answered. Wanda laughed at that but then hit me again.

She studied me for a minute in silence then walked around my room, examining this and that. She picked up the snowglobe from the Professor I found in the basement and read the inscription. She raised her eyebrows and tossed the globe to me. I caught it and placed it safely down on my dresser.

"Seriously Al, what the hell have you been doing here with these X-men?" Wanda asked. To anyone else listening, it might have sounded like she was asking coolly and as if she really didn't care one way or another with her tone, but I knew her too well. She was mad, and hurt.

"Wanda-"

"Like, at first it looked like they were kidnapping you or something, which really freaked me out. What was I supposed to do? All these months you've been gone, I haven't had my sister! I cried most nights because I didn't know why they were keeping you! But they weren't keeping you, were they? You-you stayed, on your own freewill." Wanda's voice was high, like it always got like when she was really upset. Furniture and nick-naks began to rise into the air, due to Wanda's supernatural like powers. Her powers were unpredictable and dangerous; I needed her to calm down before something bad happened.

"Wada," I said, using the name I used to call her when we were younger. It wasn't until I was five or six that I began to pronounce the n. I still used it now whenever she was mad at me.

"Don't call me that, I'm mad at you." Wanda muttered, crossing her arms and turning away from me like a stubborn child even though she older than me by a few years.

"That's why I'm saying it." I replied, turning around to face me. "Wada, I needed to be here. If you knew what was-"

"But I didn't! You just disappeared from my life and didn't care enough to even try to tell me!" Wanda shouted.

I waited for a moment before responding. She was right. Wanda's been like a sister to me since we were little and I just abandoned her with the Brotherhood. Not once did I try to tell her that I was okay or what was going on. She really has no one back with the Brotherhood but me. She's not close to Magneto, Pietro was too involved with himself or proving himself to his father that he doesn't have time for her, and the other members aren't going to go out of their way to be with her. And I left her.

"Wada, remember when we were little and Pietro was teasing me? He kept saying I was "abducted"?" I asked.

"Sure, but I think he meant adopted." Wanda replied. "What does that have to do with-"

"Well, he was right. I was abducted more than adopted. I came from somewhere Wanda, I had a family."

I continued to tell her of my past. Who my family is, how Creed kidnapped me, what's been going on these past months.

"So, yeah. Jean's gone, but me and Scott have been growing closer." I finished. Wanda was quiet, for once in her life. "I know, I shouldn't have just left you in the dark like that, that was completely unfair. I'm so sorry, there's no excuse for doing that to you, but please forgive me."

Wanda looked out the window then turned back to me.

"How do you know if any of what they told you is true?" She asked.

I wasn't sure how to answer that in a way that she's believe me. But then it came to me. I got up and grabbed the framed photo Hank gave me a couple weeks ago. The frame held the picture of Scott, Jean and I as a baby. Scott was leaning against a willow tree with his arms wrapped around Jean. In her arms was a tiny red haired blue eyed baby. I handed Wanda the picture.

"So what, I'm sure there are hundreds of ginger babies." Wanda said, handing back the photo. But I pushed it back at her.

"Look at her Wanda! We're practically twins!" I insisted.

Wanda sighed. "Yeah, I noticed that. But I didn't want to admit it. Does this mean you're never coming back?"

I opened my mouth to say that of course I'd be coming back, but then I remembered. I can't. Soon I'm not going to be…anywhere.

"Wanda-" I began, but I was cut off by a loud bang and flash of light. When I could see again, I was on the grounds surrounded by unknown mutants. Through my powers I got the united sense of all of them: excitement, an urge to fight, to prove themselves.

"What the fu-" I started to say but I was cut off once more by Wanda.

"Pietro! Let him go, what are you doing?" Wanda shrieked at her brother, who stood smirking by a large boy with six arms holding a tall thin boy.

"Well, you see sis, the Cajun's been lying to us. Funny, for apparently not knowing how to get into the grounds he sure did a good job of getting you in here fast." The speedster said smugly.

"Sorry cher, Gambit didn't know yo slime of a brotha- oof!" The boy was cut off by a hard punch to the stomach from Pietro.

"Shut up. Now that we have what we need we don't have to listen to your excessive talking anymore." Pietro told him. Then he nodded at a boy who put his hands to his temples. A moment later, Gambit went limp.

"You followed us? That is so like you! Now let him go!" Wanda ordered.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I yelled getting up from the ground. "What's going on?"

"Now is that anyway to talk to your rescuers?" Pietro asked.

"Rescuers? Who said I needed rescuing?" I yelled. This actually made the lugs around us laugh.

"I did." A rumbling voice answered. Just the sound of the familiar voice made my blood run cold.

Sabertooth walked up to me and crossed his arms as he looked down at me.

Victor Creed. At one time I considered him a father figure. A psychotic monster like father figure, but still a father figure. He taught me everything I know about fighting, hunting, tracking. He brought me nice things home when he went away. But all of it was a lie. He took me away from my family and made me believe I only had him in the world.

I glared at him with hatred, even though I knew he couldn't see me.

"I know what you did." I hissed.

"What?" Creed asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion. This was obviously not the reaction he was expecting. He was probably thinking I would act as I did whenever he came back from a long mission. Run up to him and throw my arms around him, asking him to tell me everything about what happened. Like that's happening every again.

"All of you, get out of here now!" I said, raising my voice. "This is a school. Kids live here. You're not welcomed here!"

"It doesn't matter if we're welcomed or not, we go wherever we want. Right boys?" The six armed boy said. He was answered by a roar from his cronies.

" 'Kay, whatever. We'll leave, but you're coming with us." Pietro said. He took hold of my arm but I pulled away.

"I'm not going with you." I said, backing up.

"What the hell you talking about Wildcat? Of course you're coming with us! You belong with-" Creed roared in my face. I backed away from him.

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" I interrupted forcefully.

The crowed didn't like that. There was the unison growl as they moved closer to me and started to snatch at me.

"Guys! That isn't necessary-" Wanda couldn't be heard over the fight that broke out. I kicked and punched until I had my back up against the wall.

"I can't go with you!" I yelled to be heard. "I'm dangerous! I can hurt you-"

I felt a scratching at my mind, trying to take control. I look around and matched the psychic signature to a short black haired guy with lots of piercings. I pushed back his attempts mentally, but he physically stumbled back. He shook his head at Pietro, saying it wasn't going to work.

"Venom, get in there." Pietro ordered.

A boy stepped forward and raised his arms. From his forearms sprang out large curved thorns.

Realizing what he was going to do, Wanda stepped forward.

"No! 'Tro, this is Aly! You don't have to hurt her, just calm down and-" She pleaded with her brother.

"Be quiet Wanda."

"Listen to me-"

"I said to-"

"Leave her alone!"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" Pietro roared and slapped his sister across the face.

A tense ring was in the air. Slowly, Wanda turned to her twin, eerily calm. All of a sudden rocks raised off of the ground and began pelting the mutants while roots sprang from the ground to wrap around the rest. Wanda surged towards me and grabbed my hand. We began to run.

"ALANTA!" Creed roared, ripping at the roots that tried to restrain him. He got free and ran at us.

"Now Venom!" Pietro shouted.

From above us fell the boy with the thorns. I was fast enough to drop and roll out of the way but Wanda wasn't. He sank his thorns deep into her back. She let out a horrible scream but then went limp and silent. Pietro nodded to one of his cronies and the other boy went and picked her up.

Once again I was cornered.

"You don't understand, I can't go with you." I begged. Venom moved closer to me. "I can't control her and she'll destroy you without a second thought. Please, believe me. Don't make me go unconscious."

"S'all right kid, you'll be fine once yer home." Creed said as he moved behind me to catch me.

"No I won't! Please just let me- ah!" I felt the thorns sink deep into my shoulder and a horrible stinging sensation. I tried to focus on the pain to keep me awake, but it was a losing battle. Just before I fell into the dark pit of my own mind, I saw a burning fire.

xXx

Logan kicked in the door to Professor Xavier's office, interrupting the other X-men as they continued to debate what they were going to do about Scott's daughter. Everyone turned to him, and looked at him with shock. He was in bad shape. His face and most of his upper body and clothes were torn up as if scratched apart by a wild animal. Other parts of him were burnt and bruised. His healing factor was doing its best to repair the damage, but there was so much of it that it would take time. The most unexpected thing about his appearance was the teenage girl figure he held in his arms.

"Logan?" Professor Xavier asked, rolling his chair closer to him.

"I'm, sorry." Logan struggled to speak through his pain. "There were, too many. Thought I could, take them."

"What happened Logan?" Hank asked.

"Aly." At the sound of his daughter's name, Scott quickly came over and took the unconscious girl in his arms. Removing her hood and turning her face, he saw this wasn't Alanta.

"What happened, what's wrong with Alanta?" Scott asked, his voice shaking as he tried to remain calm.

"They took 'er." Logan answered sounding defeated. "Could only save this one, there were too many."

Scott went cold.

"Who? Who took her!" Scott asked forcefully, grabbing what remained of Logan's shirt. The other X-men and women grabbed their leader and pulled him back.

Logan looked at the taller man with a grim look.

"Creed."

xXx

Spidey: Thanks for the review Spidey! Hope you're still reading :D

Storyteller222: Hehe, I'm so addicted to cliff hangers and drama :P Thanks for the review

Imaninja41: That's a really good idea! I sort of took a different root, but still included Logan. No worries, they'll make up! I love Wolverine too much to have Aly mad at him forever!

Kat the half cat: Thanks for reviewing, glad to hear from you :D

Kstar101: Thanks for the review, I'm glad you're still reading! I'm really trying to update more often


	30. Chapter 30

Just wanted to say, I saw the new X-men movie! It was okay, but they could have done better. Loved the cameo! Oh, Hugh Jackman, one day I will clone you and we shall be ever so happy together! *cough cough* I mean, I'm really cool! Anyway, on with the story -.-'

xXx

The X-men gathered in the MedBay, all of them grim faced. This had been a very bad night. First they had to figure out what they were going to do with their leader's daughter, who was possessed by a powerful being bent on destroying then recreating the world, now they learn that their school was broken into and that said girl was now in the hands of their enemies. To top it all off, the only one who might know where Alanta is was an unknown girl laying unconscious on the bed in front of them.

"Anybody else ever get the feeling that we're cursed?" Banshee asked his fellow X-men .

" Hush, the Professor is working." Storm reprimanded softly, as she watched Xavier leaning over the teenager with his eyes closed, his fingers to her temples.

"Do you think Psylocke is having any luck with Cerebro?" Banshee asked, ignoring the scold.

"She's not, I was just down there." Hank answered, entering the bay. "They must have someone with them with the mutation to make them untraceable. How's it going up here?"

"Even worse." Scott answered grim faced. "He's been at it for half an hour and he's barely scratched the surface of her mind. We still don't know who she is or what she knows about Aly."

"So why are we wasting our time with her? I told yah, it was Sabertooth! We can still-" Wolverine snarled, but Scott interrupted.

"Track them? They teleported out of here!" Scott yelled, frustrated.

Storm glared at the loud men, lighting flashing in her eyes. That kept them quiet for a moment, but soon they were at it again.

"We should be out looking for her instead of wasting our time here." Logan growled. "Chuck and Psylocke aren't getting anywhere, but we could be!"

Despite his better judgement, Scott wanted to agree. More than anything he wanted be out there finding his daughter, but as the leader of the X-men he had to do what was rational and best for the team. He knew he could be out there looking for her when he was needed back here. Still, that didn't change the way he felt.

First Jean, now Alanta…

"I need to take a walk." Scott announced. "Contact me if there's any change."

With that Scott got up and left through the sliding MedBay doors.

xXx

"Aw, did Petey get stood up? Poor Petey." Jubilee said in a mocking tone as she watched the Russian sitting at the window seat staring out into the grounds.

"Leave him alone Jubes." Kitty said, then lowered her voice. "He feels bad enough without you pointing it out to everyone."

"Why would he ask her out in the first place? Sure, she's kinda hot, but she's also weird."

Peter didn't look around to see who said that, he just continued to stare out the window. In fact, he was trying to ignore all of them. He just couldn't believe Alanta stood him up like this. He was trying to be understanding. He knew how scared Alanta was about the Phoenix. But he really wanted to be with her tonight. She was such an amazing girl, he just wanted to spend time with her. Especially now that they didn't know how much time they had left.

She at least could have told him she wasn't going to show up.

"-'specially after what she did to John." Jubilee's voice entering Peter's ears once more.

"Yeah, it was her fault he smacked her in the back of the head with a rock." Kitty countered, rolling her eyes. "They were on the same team and he attacked her! He could have caused some serious harm. I'm surprised he was just expelled and not murdered by Scott."

"If Pyro was expelled, she should have been expelled too. I mean, she attacked him back right? And whatever she did must have been way worse because he was talking nonsense when we found him. Right Pete?" Sunspot said, turning to see Peter exiting the room. "Pete?"

Peter walked down the hallway, deep in thought about Alanta. Should he confront her about standing him up? Leave her alone for awhile? Just drop it and pretend like it didn't happen?

"Where's Aly?" A stern Scottish voice asked. Peter looked down to see a small structured girl with red hair glaring up at him. Rahne's wolfish eyes stared accusingly.

Peter was not in the mood for this. He began to walk passed her but she grabbed his thick arm and held on tight. For a small girl, she had a strong grip.

"Don't ignore me! Where is she?" Rahne asked, just as Kurt and Rogue turned the corner.

"Your guess is as good as mine at the moment." Peter asked, not meaning to sound so rude. To try and make up for his curt statement, he tried to explain. "She did not meet me tonight, so I do not know where she is."

Alanta's friends shared a confused, worried look.

"What do yah mean, she didn't show up? Why?" Rogue asked, worried. She knew how crazy her friend was about the giant, why would she skip out on their date?

"She didn't tell you she was not going to show?" Peter asked, growing concerned. Aly seemed really close to her friends, it would make sense that she would tell them that she was going to stand him up. Don't girls do that?

"No. We talked to her a couple hours ago and she was still planning on seeing you tonight." Rahne answered.

Rogue said what they were all thinking. "Something's wrong."

As if they were all mentally connected, they all turned and began running for the Professor's study. They all felt like something was greatly wrong, but Peter felt the worse. He was the only one who knew about the Phoenix.

xXx

Scott waited in the X-men's hanger, sitting on one of the X-jet's landing tires. From the shadows came a tall man with blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Knock knock," The man said, making his presence known.

"Thanks for coming Alex." Scott got up and hugged his little brother.

"Hey, no problem. Sorry for not coming around in awhile." Alex apologized. "So, do I get to meet my niece? I feel bad for not being able to get away from X-Force long enough to see her yet. I still don't really believe it, I mean, sure being an X-men I'm used to people coming back from the dead and stuff but-"

Scott cut off his younger brother. "Actually, that's what I called about."

Alex slowly got paler and quieter as Scott went on to tell him what happened. By the time he finished, Alex was sitting on the hood of Banshee's black hummer, his mouth hanging open.

"So can you help me out? I can't go out looking for her myself, I have to set an example and I still have to lead the X-men if something happens. You're the only one I trust, Alex." Scott asked, trying to keep the pleading from his voice.

"So, possessed by the Phoenix, in the hands of a group of rogue mutants, no idea where she is." Alex ticked off each on his fingers slowly. Then he looked up and grinned at his brother. "Sure. Can I take the jet?"

"I'm going with yah." A voice growled from the dark. The brothers saw the cigar light before the newcomers face.

"No way Logan." Scott said instantly.

"You want to send one guy in to get Aly? Real smart, Summers." Logan said, puffing smoke into the other man's face.

"Let me guess, this is Wolverine?" Alex asked.

Logan ignored him and continued. "I know you can't send the whole cavalry after her like you want to, but you can at least increase her chances by sending me in. There's no way this kid can take on Creed's army."

"Uh, I'm like twenty five, and you just called me a kid?" Alex said, offended.

"Quiet Alex." Scott said. After thinking it over, he nodded. "Alright. But check in with me every hour, and keep me updated if you find anything. Don't confront them if you find them, just-"

"'Kay Mom, we won't talk to any strangers or get in any vans." Alex said, rolling his eyes. He still couldn't believe his brother still got like this, even though he's been going on missions since he was seventeen. He punched Scott's arm then walked toward the smaller jet used for stealth missions.

"We're going to get her back, Summers. Its going to be okay." Scott looked at Logan, not believing he actually heard that coming from the feral man, but Logan just walked away as though he said nothing at all.

Logan and Alex got in the jet to find Storm waiting in the pilot seat. She raised her delicate eyebrow, daring the men to say she wasn't coming. Logan just shrugged his shoulders and took the co-pilot seat.

Alex grinned. "Fine with us, just as long as Scott doesn't find out."

Storm started up the jet. "As if I was just going to sit around while my goddaughter was missing."

From the hanger door, Scott watched as his teammate and brother flew off to look for Alanta, wishing he was going with them.

xXx

Darrien: Thanks for the review! I'm glad you are liking the story :D

Christy-Flare: I know, I know, Alanta could have kicked all their asses and still been up for another round. While I was writing it, I knew it didn't go right. I just needed to move on with the story. Sorry for the erroneously of that part. Thank you for reviewing!

Storyteller222: I'm addicted to cliff hangers and drama :P Thank you so much for reading and reviewing this much, I really appreciate it!

Imanija41: Thanks! I'm glad you didn't think the chapter was weak :D Thanks for reading and reviewing through this whole story


	31. Chapter 31

Victor Creed paced back and forth in front of the cot that held the still unconscious Alanta. Growling. She still hadn't woken up from when that Venom kid drugged her and nobody could tell him when she was going to wake up.

Creed sighed and sat on the cot. He hesitated for a moment, then brushed Aly's soft red bangs to the side. He tried, but he couldn't forget how she reacted to him. How her eyes didn't light up like they were supposed to, how she backed away from him. It really pissed him off. He raised her, God damn it! And now a few months with these X-men and she forgets what she owes him? Just thinking of it made him want to shake her lifeless form!

She was supposed to be his kit…

"Sabertooth?" Creed turned to see Magneto's kid, the one with the white hair, standing at the tent's open flap. "We need to talk."

"Bugger off, kid. I'm not in the mood." Creed growled, turning back to Alanta.

"No." Pietro said, shaking. "We have to go back for Wanda."

"Not happening. That little bitch turned on us. She can stay with the X-men for all I care." Creed replied. Seeing that the kid wasn't going down without a fight, Sabertooth stood up so he towered over the young man.

"Alanta was living with the X-men! You don't call that turning on us?" Pietro argued, outraged. "You still- ulp!"

Quicksilver was cut off when Creed's clawed hand wrapped around his throat.

"Your daddy didn't lift a finger when my girl was taken." Creed hissed in the boy's ear. He waited until Pietro's face started to go blue before letting him drop to the ground, and began to walk away. "Now I'm going to do the same for his."

With that he exited the tent.

xXx

Alex Summers, codename Havoc, army crawled back to his X-men partners. Wolverine was pouring a steaming liquid out of a thermos into the thermos lid for Storm, both of them lying down in the grass to stay hidden form the ones they were spying on.

"Alright, I got the message to Scott." Alex told them quietly. "Their getting ready to leave now, so it won't take too long with the X-jet. Anything new here?"

"No, they're still doing the same." Logan replied. "Gambling, fighting, and getting drunk."

"So a bunch of winners, huh? Who are these guys?" Alex asked.

"My guess is that that they're a bunch of Brotherhood wannabes." Logan growled.

"And Sabertooth probably convinced them that they would be welcomed in, if they helped him." Storm added. "But why does he want her in the first place? I don't see any connection between Alanta and him."

"I smelled him on her, that first day she came to the school." Logan said. Alex and Storm looked over at him in shock, which he just shrugged to.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Storm probed.

"I thought the kid would have enough problems, finding out she was supposed to be dead, starting a new school, having one eye for a father. When you're staking out, you're supposed to keep talking to a minimum." Logan said simply. When they continued to stare at him he added. "I mentioned it to Chuck, just in case they were working together or something, so relax."

"There's so much we don't know about her." Storm said.

"I still can't really believe it's her. I was only a kid when she…died? Nobody would tell me what happened, that I was too young to understand." Alex looked down towards the camp where his niece was being held. "I wish I knew her."

Suddenly, one of the tents set up in the clearing was set aflame. The three mutants quickly turned and watched as the kidnappers scrambled to get away from the fire. Other tents got on fire, as well as the grass. From the largest fire rose a fiery form high into the air.

At the same time, the X-men all stated at the same time.

"Oh shit."

xXx

I was woken up by the smell of bacon, pancakes, and coffee entering my nose. I took in the sent with a deep breath, and held it in for as long as I could. As I exhaled, I stretched, letting my hands flow over the soft comforter and sheets. It all felt so good.

"Wake up Al! You're not sleeping through breakfast." An unknown voice called to me.

THAT made me open my eyes. That woman's voice, I didn't know it, did I? It sounded like a voice that was ready to laugh, very pretty, full of grace and very feminine. Something about it made me think of bells.

I was in my room, at the Xavier Institute, but it was different. I hadn't lived in my room that long, so I didn't get to redecorate it yet. But everything I had planned for my room was done. The three cobalt blue walls and the one white wall, with black tree branches stretching out. Silhouettes of birds decorated the walls. I had a lot more things in the room, making it much more messy. Clothes littered the floor as well as books and papers. It felt more like…home.

I got up from my bed and looked out the window. What was going on?

"My goodness is this room a mess! I thought I asked you to clean it before you went out with Rogue last night?" The woman's voice made me turn to the door.

There she stood. Long thick red hair was held back with a head band, slender figure, kind green eyes…and freckles spotted her nose and cheek bones lightly.

My mouth dropped.

"You're, you-uh, you're-" I struggled to say something.

Jean Grey raised a delicate eyebrow. "If you were drinking last night, I will still love you, but I will also kill you."

"I…wasn't?" I replied. Maybe if I was suffering a hangover this would make a lot more sense.

She came over to me and put her hands on my shoulders. Her touch felt strange. She leaned in and sniffed.

"Well, it doesn't smell like you were." She said. When I didn't reply, concern grew on her pretty face. "Aly, are you feeling okay?"

"I'm…fine?" I said, not able to stop staring at her.

She studied my own face for a moment, then smiled. "Come have some breakfast, you might be more with it once we raise your blood sugar."

She marched me out of my room to the kitchen where Scott was at the table with a cup of coffee and surrounded by papers. She sat me down beside him. Seeing her husband, she frowned.

"Hey," Jean, Mom, said. She grabbed a rolled up newspaper and smacked Scott on the back of the head with it. "I said no grading papers at the breakfast table."

"They're not homework, they're mission reports from-" Seeing the milk curdling look he was getting, Scott stopped and began putting the papers away. "I'll finish them later."

"Uh, huh." Jean said, trying not to smile. "Is it too much to ask to just have a family meal without being interrupted with homework, missions, or whatever?"

"Sorry." Scott and I said at the same time. We looked at each other and smiled. I don't know what me say that, it just felt right. Like an old inside joke.

Jean rolled her eyes and turned back to the bacon in the frying pan, but I saw her smiling before she did.

"How was last night Al?" Scott asked me.

That startled me a little. Yeah, he's been getting better at trying to make conversation with me, but just now he did it so naturally and calmly. It was nice.

"It was…good." I said, not remembering last night at all.

"Who went? Any…boys?" Scott said, obviously trying to sound cool and calm.

"Uh…" I didn't know the answer.

"It just seems like you've been spending a lot of time with that Russian boy Peter lately." Scott said, fiddling with his red glasses.

"If she says yes, are you going to keep giving that poor boy detention for nothing and the stink eye during classes?" Jean asked pouring some coffee.

"You didn't." I said looking at Scott.

He wouldn't meet my eyes.

"I don't like him." He muttered.

"You liked him fine before he started _wooing _your little girl." Jean stated.

"Please never say 'wooing' again. Please." I asked covering my face.

Mom just tweaked my nose. Dad ranted about why I should never trust teenage boys, and if a certain Russian ever tried any moves on me I was to break his hand and tell him so that the X-men could teach him a lesson.

This time it was Mom's and my turn to share a look. Dad didn't let up until Mom leaned over to his him, and whispered something about him being a teenage boy once. She winked at me and slid a plate of crispy bacon and some pancakes in front of me. It smelt so good.

All of this was too good.

"This isn't real." I said, looking down at my plate.

"What was that Aly?" Jean asked.

I looked up to meet my mother's eyes.

"None of this is real. You're dead." I said, shaking.

"Aly, why would you say such a thing?" The fake Scott asked, shocked.

"It's alright, honey, I've got this." Jean said. She took a deep breath and waved her hand as if shooing away a mosquito. The instant she made that gesture, everything disappeared. The kitchen, breakfast, Scott. We were alone in the darkness.

I shook horribly as she walked closer to me.

"I think it's time we talked, Aly." The being who took my dead mother's form said, flames igniting in her eyes.

xXx

imanija41: Oh my goodness, your review made me laugh! Bhahaha! No worries, Creed's going to get what's coming to him

Storyteller222: I hope you like this chapter :D


	32. Chapter 32

_xXx_

_Okay guys, bear with me for this chapter. It's going to be long and I'm not sure if it will make sense because I wrote it with a migraine. Hope you'll like it, but it's okay if you don't. _

xXx

"Who are you?" I asked, glaring at the thing that had Jean Gray's form.

She just gave me a smile that made the hair on the back of my neck stand straight up and turned away. She waved her hand and we then found ourselves on the school grounds, out on the cliff. She made it seem like it was just before sun set. Gracefully, she sat down the bench and looked over the water.

Her relaxed attitude made me angry.

"I said, who are-" I started to repeat the question but she interrupted.

"Relax. Take a seat." She said, still watching the golden sun set. I opened my mouth to speak but she looked at me and said. "Honestly, I know you're not stupid. Quite intelligent actually."

I saw the fire flash in her eyes once again and my blood ran cold.

"Phoenix." I whispered.

She smiled again and raised her arms as if to say "tada!".

"The one and only."

"What do you want with me?" I hissed.

"Again with the stupid questions!" The Phoenix said in an irritated voice. She gave me a cold stare. "You know what I want."

My body. I shivered at the thought.

I walked to the cliff edge trying to regain my cool. I was so scared, but I couldn't let her see that. I'm sure she could sense my fears, but I felt a bit stronger knowing I would not let them show.

"Alright, so you want intelligent questions? Fine. Why do you look like Jean Gray?" I asked, keeping my face hard.

That made her grin. "Interesting question, borderline intelligent. Because this body was as much mine as it ever was hers, after a few months in it. Plus I always had a thing for red hair."

That was a very disturbing answer.

"Don't you have any decency? You were the cause of her death than you prance around in her form as if you own it." I gave her a look of pure loathing. "You're pathetic."

"For one thing, your old mummy decided to off herself by her own hand, I had nothing to do with it. If I'd known she was going to do it, I promise you, I would have stopped her. She caused me a great inconvenience. But how lucky was I," She circled around me slowly, then leaned in to speak in my ear. "when I learned she had a daughter."

She walked back to the bench and took a seat once more. She crossed her legs elegantly before speaking again. "And secondly, I do own it."

"Parasite." I insulted her, trying to sound tough. "You're nothing more than a tapeworm."

Fire flashed in her eyes, making me think I' had angered her to a point where she might harm me, but then she gave me that sickening smile again.

"You don't like me looking like Jeanie? Fine, I can fix that." She cooed. A moment later, I was looking at myself. At least, at first glance she looked exactly like me, but there were differences that maybe only I would notice. She couldn't mimic my smile, still wearing the chilling one that she used when she wore my mother's skin. Her chest was bigger than mine, I guess because my own wasn't grand enough for the bitch. And she was wearing a slinky black dress that I wouldn't get caught dead wearing. She could take my form, but she could never be me.

"Oh, don't pretend this doesn't upset you." She said standing and walking up so she faced me. "In a couple of hours, our body will be in my control."

"In a couple of hours? What, the "all powerful Phoenix" can't just take over an unconscious teenager?" I taunted.

I sensed that I had tread on a touchy subject, but the Phoenix gave no sign of my words meaning anything to her. Instead she inspected her new form.

"So did you like it?" The Phoenix asked slyly, inspecting her nails.

"Like what?" I asked, unsurely.

"Spending time with your mummy, of course. Your perfect reality. You were never taken, she never died, and if you stuck around for a bit longer, I'm sure you would have been quite pleased with your boyfriend." She answered. She then nodded to something behind me.

Not trusting her, I still couldn't help but turn to what she nodded to. When I did, I saw a tall muscled figure overlooking the water with his back to me. Then Peter turned, his black hair perfectly kept, his blue eyes filled with desire. He walked up to me, smiling.

"Hi Aly." He whispered. He traced his hand down the side of my face, making me shiver. He then cupped my face and leaned in, his minty breath whispered over my face as his lips moved toward mine.

"Stop it." I said taking a step back. I turned away from him because it hurt too much to see what wasn't and never could be real. "Phoenix, you sick bitch, stop this now!"

"Whatever you say." She shrugged, then she beckoned the fake Peter forward with one finger. Obediently, he went to her and stood behind her with his masculine arms are her waist. She smiled evilly at me when he began to nuzzle her neck. "You might not want him, but I do. Maybe I'll keep him around, once I have your body. He's cute."

"That's enough!" I yelled. This was my mind! Mine to control! She could try to play her games, but I wasn't going to make it easy for her. Thinking hard, I made the figment in Peter's form disappear.

"You are absolutely no fun." Phoenix said dryly, noticing that her boy toy was gone.

"Why don't you go find someone more fun to possess than?" I suggested saucily.

"Like I said, I have a thing for red hair." She answered easily. "Aly girl, do you not realize what I'm offering you?"

"A chance to give my body to you so you can destroy the world?" I answered sarcastically.

"I'm going to _recreate _it after. No, that's not much of a bargain for you. But what I'm offering you is!" She said excitedly, as if she was giving me the best present in the world. "Aly, you can agree to live in your perfect world, the one I gave you a taste of. It won't matter that I'm in your body because you would be living in a completely different place!"

I wondered why she was doing this. I could just agree to give up my body and I can live in my dream world? I thought about it, how happy I felt when I was in the dream world.

"It wouldn't be real." I said.

"Of course it would be! It would be real to you." Was her answer.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked.

"No reason." She said, a little too innocently. I raised my eyebrow to telling her I wasn't buying what she was trying to sell. "Listen, I'm just trying to be nice! Either you can live in your perfect world, your body mine, or you can watch powerless as I destroy the world in your body. Which is it? You agreeing would make the process faster, but I'll have your body wither way."

"Don't listen to her Aly." A new voice, but a familiar one said. A woman's figure formed from the mist. It looked like Jean Grey, the same as the one from my dream world, only wearing her X-men uniform. She came to stand beside me.

"If this is just another game you're playing Phoenix-" I began angrily.

"No honey, I'm real." The person that looked like my mother said gently, turning me to face her.

"You can't be, you're dead." I replied, trying not to look in her eyes. The Phoenix really was a sick being.

She just gave me a sad smile and lifted my chin gently so that our eyes met. Suddenly the sensation I've been feeling for months, the one that led me to the mall, in the basement, and out on the cliff, came over me. It was like a warm, loving breeze that flowed inside of me.

She was real. This was my mother.

My eyes filled with tears and she wrapped her arms around me. She stroked my hair softly and hummed as she held me.

"This doesn't make sense, how can you be-" I began to ask.

"Here when I've been dead for over a year?" She finished, still with the sad smile. "When I died, I didn't completely pass on. As the Phoenix possessed me, my psychic aura absorbed some of her power. Enough to allow my soul to exist on the Astral Plain. Honey, I had to stay there most of the time but whenever I gathered enough energy I came back to watch over you. You would not believe how I felt when I learned you were alive."

"Um, I'm thinking I'm kinda feeling it now." I said quietly. She smiled at that and embraced me once more.

"Uh, hello?" The Phoenix called, ruining our moment. She walked over to us, changing her form from my body to my mother's yet again. While the real Jean Grey wore a green and gold uniform, the Phoenix wore a scarlet and gold one. "Jeanie! You didn't even say hello to _me_."

My mom pulled me behind her to stand in front of me protectively.

"She's lying to you Aly, she can't take over you." Mom said, not looking away from the being who drove her to her death. "You have to keep fighting her, don't give up."

Phoenix burst into flames, angered at that. She pushed past my mom to grab my arm with her burning hand. "Can't I? I'm the fucking Phoenix! You can't fight me for long!"

Mom made me face her. "You have to fight, you have a chance to be free as long as you keep fighting her! She hasn't completely taken over yet because she can't. Don't agree to give up!"

I was shaking. "B-but you couldn't fight her-"

"That's right!" Phoenix said pulling me close to her. "So what chance does a weak stupid little girl like you have?"

"I wasn't as strong as you are Al, I didn't start fighting her soon enough." Mom said. She held out her hand, "And I was alone. You aren't."

I looked from her face to her hand. I took it.

So began the fight for my body and soul.

xXx

The X-men stood, dumbfounded, up in the sky. None of them knew what to say. The camp was pretty much empty now, most of the tents burnt to the ground. They had restrained Creed and had Psylocke keep in under control. They didn't know why he tried so hard to keep them from going close to Alanta, they guessed because he wanted the Phoenix force for himself.

Jamie walked up to the X-men, a grey look on his face. Nothing about him, other than those he chose to hang around with, would make them suspect he was to attack him.

"She's been like that for almost an hour now." Jamie said grimly. "No one could get near her with out being fried. Every now and then she screams, the fire goes out, and she starts to fall, but then she goes back to…this."

"This" was Alanta floating high in the air, cocooned inside a fire bird. Her eyes looked like molten lava, and her face was completely still. It was unnerving.

"So she's gone." Scott stated emotionlessly, staring into the sky.

Alex put his hand on his brother's shoulder. "I'm sorry Scott."

"We had a miracle, her coming back after all those years. And now she's gone. Just like Jean." Scott continued in the same detached voice. It was the same voice he used after Jean died, when he became so cold and distant. His teammates and friends could see he would not be coming back from this.

"You have to give the orders, Scott." Psylocke said, coming to stand beside her leader. "We're not doing anything until you give the okay."

The Phoenix took his wife, and now his daughter. She took everything and was still trying to take more. She might wear his daughter's skin, but she wasn't his Aly.

"Take her down." Scott ordered, monotone.

xXx

We had been battling for what seemed like ages, and I wasn't any closer to regaining my body. A few times I became in control, but those victories were short lived as the Phoenix took it back. It was a strange fight. Anything we could think of would become a reality in my mind. Swords of ice, an adamantium cage, a crystal shield; these were just some of the things my mother and I used to battle the Phoenix.

At the moment, the Phoenix was a giant fiery bird that dive bombed my mother and I. She got a lucky shot in and left three deep burning gashes on my arm. I hissed, the pain almost unbearable. Mom thought up some medical supplies.

"I can't do this anymore." I panted, as Mom wrapped soft cloth around my arm. "I'm too tired, I just can't-"

"Don't talk like that!" Mom said sternly. "As soon as you begin to give up, she wins."

As if to prove this was true, the Phoenix swept down at us again. This time she was ten times larger and much hotter. She was getting more powerful and I was fading.

Before she reached us, Mom took a deep breath and tried a new strategic. She began to grow, a sword and shield forming in her hands as she grew. She and the Phoenix locked in combat, with the Phoenix gaining the advantage fast.

"Alanta! Fight her!" Mom called down to me, trying to push the Phoenix back with her shield.

"I can't, she's too powerful." I whispered weakly.

At that the Phoenix grew again, and came down harder on my mom so that she fell to her back.

"Yes you can!" Mom yelled, beginning to shrink back to size.

"You're a weak pathetic child, what chance do you have?" The Phoenix's voice raked through my brain.

I was so weak, in so much pain. It wasn't even worth it to fight anymore…

"Aly, listen to me! Remember what you fight for! Your dad, your friends, your grandfather, Peter! You fight for the world!" Jean shouted to me, normal sized again.

That was the last thing she said before the Phoenix slapped her with a fiery wing, sending her over the cliff's edge.

"Mom!" I cried out.

The Phoenix laughed cruelly in my mind. "All alone now, child. Give up and it will be painless."

All at once I fully understood what Mom said to me. This wasn't just about me, I wasn't fighting for me. Those I cared about, the whole world needed me to win.

Shakily, I got to my feet.

"No."

"What did you say?" The Phoenix said, frowning.

"I'm not giving up and I'm not alone." I yelled at the giant bird. Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, I thought on all those I fought for. Wanda, my sister, Rahne, Rogue, Kurt, my adopted aunts and uncles, my grandfather Xavier, my god parents, Peter, and my father Scott. All those I made my home with, that I loved. Their faces floated into my mind and I began to grow.

I continued to grow until I could match the Phoenix, and then I created a sword and shield.

"Bring it, Bird Brain." I smiled.

xXx

The X-men had fought the Phoenix before and all nearly died. They would have been destroyed if Jean hadn't sacrificed herself. None of them felt very confident about taking her on again, but they knew they had to try.

"On my count, throw everything we have at her." Scott yelled so all the X-men could hear him. "One-"

"Stop you stupid ****ing bastard! Leave her alone!" Creed roared at Cyclops.

That made Scott stop his count down and look at Creed in shock. He didn't know his enemy's connection to his daughter, but did he care for her more than her own father, to not want them to hurt her? Was he doing the right thing?

"Scott, we have to do this before she's too powerful." Hank said quietly to his friend and leader. "That's not Alanta anymore."

He's right, Scott thought sadly.

"Two," Scott continued, ignoring Creed's demands from him to stop. "Three!"

Before the X-men could so much as launch their attack, they were stopped in their tracks by Alanta's shrill scream. She screamed for a full minute in that blood curdling pitch before she fell silent. She moved her head around and stretched her arms and fingers, looking around like a sleepwalker that was woken. She then flew closer to the ground, slowly and hauntingly.

"Scott…" Hank asked, waiting for orders.

"Fire!" Scott shouted, unleashing his red beam on the girl high in the air. On his signal, the rest of the X-men began their attack.

The fiery being just looked down on them. She gracefully raised her hand and waved it to the side. At her gesture, all the artillery fired upon her were lost in flames and those who attacked her themselves fell to the ground, unharmed. The mutants struggled to get up but they were held to the ground.

"Please, stop struggling." The Phoenix said. Her voice was different from the one they all remembered. And they all did remember, still having nightmares about the demon like creature. It was softer, kinder, and less like a raging inferno. It was only Scott though that heard Alanta's voice under the powerful voice of the Phoenix. "We do not want to hurt any of you."

"Yer shitting me." Logan called up to her angrily. "Yah take over a kid's body, with plans of destroying the world. How do you figure that doesn't hurt anyone?"

To their amazement, the being actually smiled at him.

"We are not going to hurt anyone." She said. "We only want to help."

"Help? Help! You kill my wife and now my daughter!" Scott shouted at the being that inhabited Alanta's body. "What game are you playing here, Phoenix!"

She looked at Cyclops for a while, silent. Then, she began to float towards him eerily, to hover in front of him.

"We did not kill them. We are them." She said simply. "We are together. One."

The X-men reacted to this with silence. It wasn't like this last time. The Phoenix made it quite clear that she was in control. What was the purpose of trying to convince them that the body was shared?

She saw that he didn't believe her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, flying back into the sky.

"You do not believe us. That is okay." She said, sounding a little sad.

"Yah twisted bitch! Leave Wildcat alone!" Creed roared.

The flames around her flared as she turned to look at Creed. She lifted her hand, in doing so, lifted Creed up to her.

"We remember you, what you have done to us. We are angry. We could destroy you, turn you to ashes without a second thought. But we do not harm." The being said to him sternly. "You are not forgiven."

With that, Creed fell from the sky and landed hard on the ground with a great thud. He screeched in agony, hands over his eyes, then went silent. A moment later, he stood, blinking. It took the rest of them awhile to notice that his eyes were once more like a cat's instead of the pure white orbs he wore for almost seventeen years. He looked around him in amazement.

"I-I can-" He started to say.

"See, yes." The Phoenix said coolly. She pointed off into the distance. Immediately, Creed got a blank look on his face and began to walk off into the dark woods.

"The power, it feels so good. We can do anything." The Phoenix said, almost to herself. "But we are not meant to have the hands of a goddess. One more, just one more thing."

She put her hands together, then slowly pulled them apart. In between them, fire began to take shape. Within moments, a woman's figure floated down to the ground. The Phoenix, shaking a little, breathed out a white flame, which flew down and into the woman's chest. The woman took a strangled breath as the white flame touched her.

"Oh my God," Scott said, running to the woman. "Jean?"

He took the unconscious Jean Summers into his arms, touching her face, trying to tell if this was real or not. Then he looked at the fire being. He watched as she seemed to pull the fire off of herself, fighting to get it away from her. Eventually, all but the smallest flames had left her, the rest floating in front of her. It reached back to her, trying to get back to Alanta's body, but she kept it back. Take a deep breath, she raised both of her hands in the air than lowered them. The fire in the shape of a great bird was forced down into a bolder, which burst into flames. When the flames died, a giant crystal was left over.

The X-men had seen plenty of strange things in their years, but this had to be the oddest.

Alanta blinked several times, looking around confused. Realizing she was floating forty feet in the air, she looked down and said the same thing anyone else would.

"Oh shit." With that her eyes rolled up and she began to plummet down to the earth.

xXx

Storyteller222: I hope you liked this chapter. Thanks for the review!

Imanija41: So, I kinda went with the Phoenix and mother back from the grave :P Hope this chapter wasn't too bad. And I'm glad you found that funny :D

Sean/ ZombieTheory: (I'm not sure how soon you'll read this message, but hopefully you won't get bored and will read up to this chapter) I'm really glad you're enjoying the story! And I know, I'm brutal with spelling and grammer. Thanks for the reviews and compliments : )


	33. Chapter 33

Alrighty, I'm finally done! So sorry for not updating in like, a year, but I got distracted with other projects. Actually, it was two recent reviewers to thank for me actually finishing. I thought no one was still interested in the story so I let it slide. Anyway, the final chapter! Thanks to everyone who stuck with the story! I hope you'll look into some of my other stories like Caught in the Storm (for RoLo fans) or My Darling Demon (for Kurt fans).

J.C Posch

xXx

I began to drift into consciousness, but it was like fighting the deepest sleep imaginable. It felt like one of those school days that you knew you had to get up and get ready for, but your bed was just so warm and cozy and you convinced yourself that another five minutes of this sleep couldn't hurt. It feels like there are weights on your eyes, pinning them closed. You know you have to wake up, but you can't.

Someone squeezed my hands and I heard whispering that I couldn't make out.

But just another five minutes…

Finally, I found the energy to pull open my eyes. I blinked away the blurriness, but it was still hard to see because of the darkness. I opened my mouth, but it felt sticky and tasted disgusting. I felt gentle but strong hands help me up into a sitting position, with pillows behind me to keep me upright. I attempted to speak, but couldn't muster the saliva to do so.

"Here sweetie," I felt a cool glass being pushed into my hands and from the straw sticking out of it, I took a long drink. After finishing the glass, I felt like a new person. I now had my bearings, sort of. I found myself in one of the beds in the MedBay, wearing a white hospital gown. The clock on my bedside stand said it was five AM. On my bed sat my mom, stroking my hair gently.

"Its about time you woke up." She said in a quiet voice.

"How…long?" I croaked. She handed me another glass of water, which helped sooth my rough throat.

She took my hand before answering. "Almost four months."

I gaped at her, trying to tell whether she was kidding. I tried to remember the events that landed me in a coma, but I couldn't. There was a fight, I think, and the Phoenix, and then I was falling to my death…

I looked at the mother I knew was dead.

"Am I dead? Aren't you dead?" I asked dumbly.

That made her laugh in a low volume. "No sweetheart, we are both alive. You've just been in a coma for the past for months. You survived the fall, though you did suffer some major internal bleeding, and your body's been healing its self while you were sleeping. It needed time to purge and repair from the Phoenix inhabiting it."

"But you…"

"Yes, well, that's not so easy to explain. While you were connected to the Phoenix, you created another body for me, and placed my soul and mind back into it."

"That's…really weird."

"I know. I've spent the last four months trying to get my life back together after dying, but it hasn't been easy." Mom said. "Fortunately your father has been there for me."

She gave me a sneaky smile. "Much like your Russian buck has been here for you."

"What?" I looked to where she was gesturing and sure enough, fast asleep in one of the chairs near my bed was Peter. He looked horribly uncomfortable, attempting to fit his large framed body into a sleeping position in the chair. "How long has he been there?"

"Pretty much since we brought you back here." Mom answered. "He's been by your side during his every spare minute, and has taken to sleeping beside you in that horrible little chair. Your father and I have been here too of course, and take turns sleeping in here with you, but he's been very vigilant. He wanted to make sure he was here when you woke up."

I gazed at him, "Oh Peter…"

"He loves you very much." Mom told me, "I just hope your dad won't try to chase him away with a baseball bat."

I looked at her and I don't know exactly what I saw, but whatever it was told me that things were going to be much different in my life from now on. Not only do I have the mom I've always dreamed of, but her presence would also change Scott's and my relationship for the better. The dream world the Phoenix had tried to tempt me with was an actual possibility.

The Phoenix…a sudden icy hand grabbed my heart.

"Mom, the Phoenix, is she gone?" I asked in a panicked voice.

"From what we can tell, you were able to trap her in the rock for the most part." Mom answered slowly, "But it seems like a flicker of her is still in both of us."

Mom pulled down the collar of her shirt enough so that I could see the golden Phoenix emblem burned into her skin just below her collarbone. I quickly checked and found an identical one burned into me.

"So does this mean this could all happen again?" I asked, afraid.

"It…is a possibility." Mom admitted. "But from what the Professor, Reed Richards, Dr. Strange and myself can tell; there is no more than just a spark of her within us. They believe with the majority of her being trapped, we'll be able to control the small spark. As well, we've beaten her now, and we can do it again if the time comes."

I nodded, suddenly feeling exhausted again. As if four months isn't enough sleep. I attempted to say more to Mom, but sleep over came me before I could. I felt gentle hands smooth back my hair before I was completely out.

xXx

It took me a long time to make my way down to the garage. I was in the MedBay for another two weeks under the supervision of Hank, my parents and the Professor. While I had lots of visitors, I had been bored out of my mind stuck in bed. Today I decided that I had to get out. I mustered up the energy and snuck out. Of course I had to keep stopping to rest and catch my breath, but it was better than I had felt in awhile.

I was probably going to regret my great escape later when I had used up all the engery that I didn't have in the first place, but there was something I had to do.

I entered the garage, taking in the scents of motor oil and grease. The man I was looking for was knelt down by his bike, polishing the motorcycle's black metal. He straightened slightly, and took a few sniffs before going back to his work.

"Should you be out of bed, kid?" Logan asked, massaging his bike with the old rag.

"No, probably not." I answered truthfully, taking a seat on the cold cement floor. "But I had to come talk to you."

Logan paused, then put down his polish and rag to turn his full attention to me. "You're talking to me again?"

"I…have to apologize." I said quietly, avoiding his gaze.

"Didn't do noth'n wrong kid."

I shook my head. "Yes, I did. I said some pretty bad stuff to you, and that was uncalled for. I also didn't give you a chance to explain yourself. I know now that you didn't have any wrong intentions."

A lot of time had passed since I had been awaken by Logan and Dad (I now found it a lot easier to refer to him as Dad rather than Scott) fighting. I was so upset that when Dad accused Wolverine of trying to finally be with Mom by going after me, it made sense that the only reason someone was being kind to me was because he wanted something from me.

But while I was the Phoenix, or rather, we were one being, I was able to see the minds of everyone in the clearing. I don't remember being the Phoenix, but every so often I get glimpses from it. Dr. Richards' said that this was probably a good thing because if I had remembered everything, I could have gone mad. But a few days after I woke up, I got a flashback from Logan. I saw that while he really did love my mom, he didn't see me as a replacement for her. His kindness and protection of me came from the duty he felt to Mom and the pity from Dad ignoring me.

He was just doing what he felt was right, and I treated him like dirt.

He stared at me in silence. Not knowing what else to say, I awkwardly held out the thermos of hot chocolate I took from the cafeteria before leaving the school. In response, Logan gave me a wolfish grin and accepted the thermos.

"You feeling up to helping me give my other bike a checkup, kid?" Logan asked roughly, turning to one of the other motorcycles.

Relieved that we were good, I happily accepted.

*ten months later*

I stood in front of my vanity, inserting my earrings. Peter had picked them up in Mexico when he went there for a mission with the X-men (as a junior member) and surprised me with them for Christmas. They were gorgeous sapphires that my silly boyfriend claimed matched my eyes.

I gave myself a once over in the mirror and decided that I was presentable.

There was a soft knock on my door and Mom poked her head in. Her thick red hair was pulled into a stylish bun. "Al? Hank just got back with your dad."

"Alright!" I smiled. "I'll go get him."

I gave her a thumbs up before diving out my window. As I pulled out of my headlong dive, soaring up to the main building's roof, in my mind I heard Mom's voice say _'okay everybody! Get into your positions!' _. I grinned as I imagined Dad's face when he saw what we had planned.

I came down on the landing pad on the roof as Dad and Hank exited the small two person jet. His arms were loaded down with the 'very important files that had to be guarded and hand delivered from Miri Island to the Institute today' or as everyone except Dad knew 'an excuse to get him away for the day'.

"Hi!" I ran up and wrapped my arms around Dad "How was the trip, old man?"

"Hey, watch the 'old man' thing." Dad protested. "I'm not that old."

"Right, you keep telling yourself that." I sassed with a laugh as I took the folders from him.

Under his breath I heard him mutter, "Teenagers."

"Old men." I replied, sticking out my tongue.

"To answer your question, the trip was long." Dad said, ignoring my rudeness. "We kept on getting delayed."

"Yes, we couldn't believe it took the whole day to retrieve the files." Hank commented, winking at me.

"Ah, well that stinks."

"At least we're home now." Dad sighed running his fingers through his hair. "All I want to do is show and go to bed."

Hank and I shared a look. I quickly pressed the folders into Hanks large arms and hurried over to Dad.

"But, uh, you can't!" I said, blocking him from the stairway. When he raised his eyebrows over his red lensed glasses I explained. "I need you to help me fix my bike."

He was taken back by this. The old motorcycle Logan got for me from a friend in Canada was running fine, and Dad knew that if I had any problems with it, I would go to Logan for help. It was a lame excuse, but I had panicked.

"Well, okay then, but-"

"Great, let's go!" I interrupted, grabbing Dad's arm and yanking him off the roof. While in midair, I quickly blindfolded him.

"Aly! What are you doing?!" Dad yelled, apparently not comfortable with falling from a six story roof while blindfolded (though I had no idea why).

Instead of answering, I slowed our fall. Dad stumbled as we landed gently on the soft grass, and I took the opportunity to remove the blindfold. Dad opened his mouth, probably to scold me about the dangers of jumping off buildings, but the sight before us stopped him.

"You didn't."

I smiled and linked my arm with his. "We did. Happy birthday, Dad."

The Xavier gardens were decorated with streamers and balloons, all in X-men yellow and blue of course. Because it was nearing evening, we had set up twinkling white lights in the trees and bushes. All the guests were dressed semi formally, with the ladies in dresses and the guys in dress pants and shirts. A table was weighed down with rich, good food, and a cake decorated to look like Dad's battle visor. There were few students in attendance because Logan, Storm and Banshee had taken those who didn't go home for summer vacation to a wilderness camp in British Columbia for the week.

Mom came up and kissed Dad on the cheek. "You really didn't think we were going to let you get away without a party on your birthday, did you?"

Dad sighed. "Well, I was hoping to…"

Mom laughed and took Dad by the hand, leading him to his guests.

I grinned like a goof. This was Dad's first birthday since we were reunited as a family. A couple weeks ago, Mom and me had watched the video recorded at the last family event when we were all together, which was Dad's birthday when I was a baby. It inspired us to throw this party for Dad.

I walked through the grounds, smiling to people as a simple greeting as I passed. My grandfather was talking to Tony Stark (who had a drink in his hand) and Captain America (looking quite fine), and Uncle Alex was having a flirty thumb war with a pretty woman with green hair while sitting on the lip of the fountain. I was glad, but slightly repulsed, to see Kurt and Wanda making out passionately against one of the large oak trees. I was glad my two friends were so zealous about each other, but seriously, their amount of PDA was disturbing. Wanda had decided to ditch the Brotherhood for the Institute, much to her father and brother's anger. I'd like to think her choice came from wanting to be a 'good guy', but honestly I believe a certain blue elf swayed her decision. There were lots of people to see and talk to, but I was looking for just one, and it wasn't the birthday boy.

Spotting my target, I grinned. I sprinted towards him and took a flying leap, landing on his sturdy back. Once settled with my legs wrapped around his torso and my arms around his neck, I kissed him behind his ear.

"Miss me?" I purred.

"As always. But, um…" Peter replied, blushing slightly. I now saw that he had been talking to Jan and Dr. Pym. I blushed as well, but Jan (aka Wasp) just winked at me and led her husband away. Once he was sure we were alone, Peter turned his head to kiss my cheek.

"Do you always have to make an entrance?" Peter asked pleasantly as he began to walk through the gardens with me still riding on his back.

"Yuppers." I replied cheekily. "I was worried that you weren't going to be here."

Peter had gone with a couple of the other junior X-men a few days before to assist Excalibur with some mission. He hadn't been in contact with me since he left so I believed he was too busy to show up to the party.

"I promised I would come, didn't I?" Peter said lightly, spinning around playfully.

"Yes, but I would have understood if you couldn't make it." I said, giving him a slight squeeze. "Now, to the punch bowl!"

I shrieked with glee as Peter ran at full speed towards the food table. Having a boyfriend with super strength has its perks.

The night went on. Lots of eating, picture taking, visiting and laughter. At one point Uncle Alex even brought out a Wolverine shaped piñata, which made Dad smirked as he cracked it open. After we cut the cake, we went out to the dance floor, where Peter whirled me around for an hour. As another song ended, I saw a hand land on Peter's shoulder.

"May I step in?" Dad asked in a polite voice. Seeing him, Peter quickly removed his large hands from my waist and jumped back from me as though I was scalding hot. Dad took his place as Peter walked away muttering something about getting us punch.

"It's funny. Peter's the size of a moose and he's still scared of you." I said with a smirk as the next song started.

"That's the way it should be. Along with shooting lasers out of my eyes, I also have the ability to scare teenage boys away from my daughter." Dad replied spinning me around.

I rolled my eyes but smiled. "Come on Dad, you don't have to."

"I just want to make sure my little girl is being treated right."

We danced for another three songs before Mom dragged Peter back and forced Dad to leave to dance with her. Two hours and many songs later, I was at one of the small tables set up around the garden, falling asleep. It was when I nodded off and started to snore that I felt strong arms lift me up. I opened my eyes groggily to find myself being carried towards the teacher wings by Peter. Instead of struggling and insisting that I could walk by myself, I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sensation of being treated like a kitten.

My life is everything I ever wanted it to be.


	34. Chapter 34

Hey you beautiful angel faced people you! Haha, thanks to everyone who's reviewed and stuck with this story through it all! If you're interested in reading more about Aly, please read the new story Daughters of the Atom! That's where her story is going to continue. Hopefully you'll like it!


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